Lamb Without Blemish
by Changed World
Summary: DISCONTINUED. Prince Vegeta falls for Kakarrot, a third class Saiyan, but King Vegeta has some strong objections to the match and is not going to allow their relationship to last. Vegeta/Kakarrot, Angst, AU/AR, COMPLETE, Death, Lime, M/M, UST
1. Lamb Without Blemish

**Disclaimer:** I do not own DBZ, nor do I make any profit from publishing this story.

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**Summary:** Determined to find a mate, Prince Vegeta is disgusted to find all of his suitors tainted. He thinks it hopeless until he meets Kakarrot, a pure-hearted and unreserved Saiyan. Unfortunately for Prince Vegeta, Kakarrot is a third class Saiyan, making a relationship between the two unlawful. Against his better judgment, Vegeta falls in love with Kakarrot, and so their winding tale of love, heartache, and happiness begins.

**Pairing:** Vegeta/Kakarrot

**Warnings:** AU/AR, Angst, Death, Lime, Male/Male relationships, Male only society, UST. Also, there are instances of bigotry, murder, rape, torture, and violence.

**Note:** This story has been discontinued.

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Lamb Without Blemish

_"And if it is an offering from the flocks, a holocaust of sheep or of goats, he shall offer a male without blemish."_

_(Leviticus 1:10)_

Chapter One

Vegeta stalked away from the throne room and his latest suitor. He stomped down the hallway, his cape popping in the air behind him from his violent exit.

He had finally reached the age in his life where he could pick a mate and start a family, producing an heir for his family's line, but all of his suitors utterly disappointed him. The suitors would smirk and smile at Vegeta, undress him with their eyes, and say whatever they thought would win Vegeta over. He knew the reason for their interest – his crown. The title of prince, future leader of the planet, left many mouths watering.

Slowing his pace, Vegeta switched gears, and his thoughts flowed to his people. The Saiyan race that Vegeta and his father governed had once stood as a highly organized and feared group, but over the past twenty years, the general society had grown vile.

Many citizens indulged in illegal drugs, rampant sex, and underage pornography and prostitution. Posters soliciting sex with minors plastered the walls of many downtown streets.

Prince Vegeta decided that he needed another dose of this reality. He had realized long ago that he could never effectively rule his world without putting himself among his people.

He went to his bedroom chamber and took out his hidden disguise. After cloaking himself, he slipped out the window, flying towards a nearby city in search of its filth.

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Upon landing, Vegeta was hardly noticed. His disguise consisted of dark clothes: a jacket, tank top, pants, and a hat. He looked just like many of the other citizens that flooded the streets after sundown. After adjusting to his surroundings, Vegeta headed towards his usual point of observation.

An old field that had once been a park held a certain tree that Vegeta used for his watches. Nearing the park, Vegeta looked past the crowd for the tree. The thick branches twitched in the breeze, casting leaves in all directions. Vegeta watched the multi-colored leaves swirl towards the ground.

He had been so engrossed with his beloved tree that he forgot to watch his footing. He slammed into the back of a stranger and landed on his backside.

Vegeta cursed himself mentally for this slip. He could not draw attention to himself in any way, for most Saiyans did not need much of an invitation to fight. As he cursed his bad fortune, the creature that he ran into turned around.

"I'm sorry." The tall Saiyan said, extending his hand to help Vegeta up.

"It's alright." Vegeta replied after accepting the help. "It was my fault for not paying attention."

The taller man smiled, placing a hand behind his head. "I wasn't paying attention either. I was actually looking at that old park." He extended his arm towards the park.

Vegeta followed the line of his long arm. He pushed down his budding attraction and added softly. "I was too."

"Wow, what a coincidence. I wanted to go there too. I used to go there as a child, but it has gotten really dangerous lately. Hey! Would you mind if I came with you? I would like to go with someone else so I wouldn't be there by myself." He smiled down at Vegeta.

"Uh… Sure." Vegeta mumbled before turning his head to the side to hide a blush.

"Great! I'm Kakarrot, by the way. What's your name?"

Vegeta turned his head to see Kakarrot's radiant smile. He was momentarily blindsided by the unashamed grin. When he did come to his senses, he nearly blurted out his real name. "Ve…" Vegeta paused, saying the next name that came to mind. "Veggan. My name is Veggan." He felt like an idiot for not coming up with a better name, but it seemed to work.

"It's nice to meet you, Veggan." Kakarrot put out his hand to offer a friendly handshake.

Vegeta readily accepted it, and the two began their walk towards the park. When they arrived Vegeta asked if they could walk towards a particular tree.

"I always sit in this tree and watch people in the streets." He heard himself say to the other man as explanation but could not understand why he would offer up such personal information without ceremony.

"Sure! I love that tree." Kakarrot agreed.

The two were silent until they reached the tree. Vegeta felt like he would betray his secrecy if he spoke anymore. When they reached the tree, it was apparent that Kakarrot was tall enough to reach the first branch without flying, unlike Vegeta.

The larger man easily ascended into the tree. He stood on the second lowest brand with is tail anchored on the branch for support. "Come on, Veggan!"

Vegeta bent his knees and jumped to the first branch. His footing was not secure, and he began slipping. He tried to right himself when a jerk on his tank top brought him upright.

"That was close, Veggan. It hurts to fall out of this tree. Trust me. I know." He grinned, releasing Vegeta's shirt.

"Thanks." Vegeta's cheeks heated. 'How many times has this Saiyan made me blush already?'

"I like to watch the people here." Kakarrot called. "There are so many bad things going on nowadays. Sitting here makes me feel like I am removed from this dark world, even if only for a little while."

He looked down as astonishment captured Vegeta's face. "I'm sorry, Veggan. I just speak my mind. I'm sorry to bore you or make you uncomfortable."

Recovering, Vegeta replied. "It is okay. I understand. I feel the same way. At my home, I can't see the people like this, so I come here. I want to remind myself of the present state of our world. If I am ever to change anything, I need to see what the problems are firsthand."

"You want to change things too?" Kakarrot smiled even wider than he had before. "Wow. I'm glad we met Veggan. My brother thinks I'm crazy. He told me not to concern myself with changing the world. He said I shouldn't worry about that stuff. I should just find a mate and have some kids."

Kakarrot laughed. "I do want those things, but what would be the point in having children to only have them brought up in a world like this?"

"I agree. The streets are littered with ads glorifying the abuse of children, drugs, and unprotected sex. I could not knowingly bring a child into this world as it is now. Things must change first." Vegeta said.

"I don't know where to start, Veggan. Changing the world seems like such an ambiguous task. There isn't a clear cut path for either of us to walk down."

"We will have to etch one out for ourselves, Kakarrot."

"Does this mean we can work together?" Kakarrot swung from his branch to one above Vegeta.

"Well, that is not what I meant, but…" Vegeta wanted to agree but was worried that he may give away his identity if he were to spend too much time with Kakarrot; however, his feelings got the better of him. "Sure, Kakarrot."

"Great!" Kakarrot moved forward to shake Vegeta's hand. When their palms touched, Vegeta's body reacted with an emotion of gratitude, kinship, and something else that he could not quite pin down. He honestly did not want to know what it was.

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The two Saiyans spent the rest of the evening and much of the night in the tree, sitting on branches that were on either side of the tree. They watched people walk up and down the street and remarked on several of them and their not so secret activities.

When the hour drew late, Vegeta thought it best to return home before his father started looking for him. Vegeta turned to look at Kakarrot. "Kakarrot," he called, "I must go."

"Yeah, me too. I guess I just let time slip by me." He said with his hand behind his head.

Both Saiyans gracefully climbed out the tree and landed on the ground. After making plans to meet again in a few days, Vegeta flew away towards the castle.

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TBC


	2. The One I Love

**Revised - November 2, 2010**

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Lamb Without Blemish

"_I will rise now," __I said, __"and go about the city; in the streets and in the squares, I will seek the one I love."_

_(Song of Solomon 3:2)_

Chapter Two

Vegeta threw the book down onto the table. He had picked it up just a minute before to distract his mind from the unpleasant realizations that continued to swirl in his head.

When the Prince first arrived home, he had gone to the training room to vanquish his thoughts about the encounter he had with Kakarrot, but after a few hours and everything in the training room being in need of repair, Vegeta resigned to his room.

Standing, Vegeta began to pace the chamber in nervous agitation. He never experienced this before in his life. The persistent feelings that crept to the forefront of his mind were unlike any tasks or problems that had been presented to him as a prince.

His father made sure Vegeta had been educated in all the ways that noble Saiyans were. Vegeta accompanied his father on trips with other planets to speak with their leaders. He had even been taught several languages by native tutors.

Even when Vegeta and his father stood against their most demanding challenge, which was the battle with Frieza, who was the most evil creature in the universe at the time, Vegeta had only felt a thrill from the fight. Then again, he had only been ten years old when he and his father disposed of Frieza.

Vegeta could handle fighting. The emotions that leapt from the downtown streets and the new feelings towards a certain person were something that Vegeta could not deal with properly.

He understood love, at least in the sense of admiration. Since his birth, respect towards his father had been ingrained in him. He never remembered telling his father that he loved him. Vegeta was unsure if Saiyans even said those things.

His emotions had never noticed such a tug. Vegeta felt like a dusty piano in his mind had just been opened, and someone had begun playing it. The notes produced from the awakened instrument floated through his body carrying the first hints of love and hope. For him, it was annoying.

He could not believe that these thoughts were born from his conversation with a commoner. 'What would Father think?' Vegeta mused. Father would deny it. 'He would say I was not in my right mind.'

Vegeta did not feel that he was thinking logically, and as the emotions continued their dance in his mind, he sensed his logic slip even further. He resolved to think no further of Kakarrot until it was time for their meeting. His simple promise proved very hard to keep.

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Vegeta spent the two days after the meeting either in his bedroom chamber reading or in the yard destroying fresh targets that he asked the servants to set up. He was certain that by the end of each day the servants were as tired physically as he was mentally.

The evening of the third day arrived with no unusual happenings. Vegeta met with his father at lunch time for a briefing on their upcoming trip to a nearby planet.

Afterwards, he sat on his favorite bench in the garden and tried to finish reading a book on Saiyan social classes. Vegeta wanted to research the dealings between commoners and the nobles.

With only about fifty pages left, Vegeta felt reassured of his earlier assertion. He knew that noble Saiyans could not mate with those among the common or third class. Second class mates had been accepted under special circumstances, yet relationships with commoners were forbidden entirely.

Closing the book, he figured it was a hopeless cause to worry about things that could not happen. He did not fancy himself in love with Kakarrot, even though he was unsure of what that even meant. He left the garden for his room.

Once inside the large chamber, Vegeta walked to the dresser furthest from the door. After taking out his disguise, he cloaked himself in the garb of the lowest class and flew out his window headed towards his meeting place with Kakarrot.

Over the twenty minute flight, Vegeta applied all of his might to silence his feelings toward the third class and declared to himself that he would not think of it again.

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He arrived at the tree a few minutes late. He designed his landing so that he would not seem too eager for the meeting. When he arrived at the park, he found that Kakarrot was not the kind of person to mask his emotions.

Kakarrot ran from his spot at the base of the tree to stop a couple of feet in front of Vegeta. "I've been waiting for you." He said between exhausted breaths.

"I'm sorry. I had some business to take care of." Vegeta blushed slightly. The admission of Kakarrot's anticipation over his arrival stirred his tamed feelings. He felt his control lessening already.

"It's fine. I'm just glad you're here. There is going to be a rally for Saiyans that oppose relations with minors. The meeting should begin soon. I wanted to take you with me. I've been to a few meetings already. I thought it might give us some ideas." He hurled his words at Vegeta in a frenzied manner.

Vegeta stood, staring at the man before him for a few moments. After gaining some sense of understanding, Vegeta simply nodded.

"Alright!" Kakarrot grinned. "Let's go!" He grabbed Vegeta's hand and took off in an excited rush.

"Ah! Kakarrot!" Vegeta's hat nearly flew off from the sudden ascent.

"Oh!" Kakarrot let go of Vegeta's hand. "I'm sorry, Veggan. I wouldn't want you lose your hat."

"It's fine. Let's get to this rally." Vegeta adjusted his hat back to fit snugly against his head.

"Okay. Follow me." Kakarrot took off at an amazing speed.

On the flight to the rally, Kakarrot periodically checked on Vegeta and the status of his hat.

Vegeta's mind was occupied with what his father might think if he were to see his son following a commoner to a social rally.

He figured that his father would have Kakarrot punished for giving an order to the respected prince. Vegeta sighed at the thought, hoping that his father would never find out about his secret life.

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Their arrival took the notice of a man from the crowd. He ran forward, hugging Kakarrot to him with one arm. "So, this is your friend, Kakarrot!" He nearly yelled with a wide smile on his face.

"Yes, Dad. He came." Kakarrot returned the hug. "Oh!" He turned his attention back to Vegeta. "Veggan, this is my father, Bardock. Dad, this is my friend, Veggan."

"Nice to meet you, Veggan. Its great to see young people interested in these issues." He said, extending his hand to Vegeta.

Vegeta accepted the offered hand. "Yes, sir. I am very interested in helping to improve our world." He said a little too seriously.

Bardock was taken aback at his tone, but his manners were made for pleasing. He grinned and said, "I'm glad to hear that. I hope that you and my son can work together." He winked at Kakarrot, who blushed lightly.

Bardock placed his hand behind his head, mimicking the behavior that Vegeta had witnessed from his son just a few days earlier. A bell chimed, interrupting their awkward moment.

"Oh, it's about to start. I'll see you guys later. I've got to go sit with my friends." He flashed another huge smile before disappearing into the crowd.

Kakarrot put his arm around Vegeta's shoulders and led him a seat in the back by the forest. They had gotten there late, so all the seats near the stage were taken, but Kakarrot still felt bad for making his new friend sit on the ground.

"Is this okay, Veggan? We could see if there is any room with my father and his friends." He glanced towards the front of the crowd and then back at Vegeta with a look of shame.

"No. This is fine." Vegeta figured that everything had worked out for the best. From this distance, few would be able to see him. Vegeta looked around and sat with his back against a tree. Kakarrot followed his example and sat on the other side of the same tree.

Vegeta did not know how much more of this he could take. The close contact with the tall Saiyan was driving his mind and body crazy. Every contact felt electric, and he was repulsed by his own desire to be touched once more.

The speaker soon took the stage. He spoke for over an hour about the ways that people were capturing young boys and turning them into sex slaves and how they got business from members of their society. Vegeta caught the majority of what he said, but he felt distracted.

Out of the corner of his eye, Vegeta saw the hope swell in Kakarrot's face. He could not help but to stare.

The leaders of other planets, his servants and guards, and even his father were always masking their emotions with a calm exterior. No one showed these kinds of feelings. Watching Kakarrot, he felt mesmerized by his unbridled reactions.

When the speech ended, Kakarrot jumped to his feet with applause. Vegeta followed his example slowly. He had been too immersed in his own thoughts to congratulate the words of another. Kakarrot's joy shook him from his wonderment.

"Wasn't that great?" He nearly shouted with smiling eyes.

"Yes. It was great, Kakarrot." Vegeta did not know how to show excitement that would register in his friend's mind, so Kakarrot misunderstood him.

"You didn't like it? I'm sorry, Veggan. I thought that you might, but I mean. I understand if you didn't like it. These kinds of meetings aren't for everyone." His eyes held true concern for Vegeta. This made Vegeta feel guilty for not expressing himself more openly.

"No, Kakarrot. I'm sorry. I did like it. I'm just tired. I have been doing a lot of training the last few days. I'm sorry if I don't seem happy." He gave Kakarrot a small, yet genuine smile.

"That's fine. I understand completely. I train with my dad all the time. Oh!" He remembered something. "I'm sorry for dragging you out here. I wouldn't have if I would have known that you were tired, Veggan. Can you forgive me?" He said drawing closer to Vegeta.

"Of, course. Though, there's nothing to forgive. If I didn't want to come, I would not have. I don't do things like this if I don't want to." He replied with more honesty than Kakarrot could comprehend.

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After another hour of introductions to Kakarrot's friends and the following conversations with them and Kakarrot's father, Vegeta suggested that it was time for him to take his leave from the party. Kakarrot agreed to accompany Vegeta back to the tree. Once there, Vegeta thanked Kakarrot for the event and was about to take off when Kakarrot called.

"Hey! Don't you want to meet again?" He smiled.

Vegeta felt uncertain of himself once more. He desperately wanted to spend time with his new friend, but after the trouble he had tonight from the contact with him, he was not certain that he should be spending too much time with Kakarrot, especially after understanding that nothing positive could come from such a relationship.

Kakarrot saw his hesitation and said. "We won't be going to another rally. There won't be another one for a while. We could hang out at my house and spar. How about that?"

The plan awakened the fighting spirit in Kakarrot, as fighting did in all Saiyans. He continued with enthusiasm. "How about you come over in a couple of days?"

"I'm sorry. It can't be this week. My father and I are going out of town for… business." He admitted truthfully.

"Okay. Then, how about a week from today? We can meet here, and I'll lead you to my house."

"I guess that will work." Vegeta hated himself for being so weak and giving in to his feelings.

"Great!" Kakarrot smiled, placing an arm on Vegeta's shoulder. "Then, I'll see you later. Bye, Veggan."

Vegeta smiled at him again and bid him farewell. Both Saiyans turned towards their homes and flew away.

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TBC


	3. Would Not Let Go

**Revised - November 2, 2010**

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Lamb Without Blemish

"_Scarcely had I passed by them, when I found the one I love. I held him and would not let him go."_

_(Song of Solomon 3:4)_

Chapter Three

Boarding the space ship, Vegeta felt like something was tugging on his heart to stay. He pushed back the thought and took his seat, sitting across from his father. He loathed the burning in his soul to see his new friend. 'I just saw him a couple of days ago.' He told himself, trying to feel guilty for his treacherous desires. His father's words shook him from his trance.

"Prince Vegeta, have you prepared for our meeting?"

"Yes, Father. I have read the materials you asked me to, and I am confident in my knowledge of their customs."

"Excellent. Though, I wish to speak to you about the situation regarding your mate ceremony." With no interjection from his son, King Vegeta continued. "You know that you must choose a mate within the next six months and present that Saiyan at the ceremony, or the line will go to another noble family."

"I understand, Father. I assure you that is the last thing I want. I will do my best to fulfill my obligations to our family."

"Ah, well. Then, have you found someone that would be suitable?" His father rubbed the hair around his chin.

"Not exactly, Father. All those of noble birth are…vile. Several of them have concubines kept for them at their castles. A couple of the men sell drugs, and the others take part in the slavery of minors. I could not have the next Saiyan king be born from such lowly creatures."

"I understand, Son, but you must remember your duty. Simply choose someone to produce an heir. You could send them back to their home afterwards." He said in his usual calm tone, showing no sign of remorse or any other feeling.

"Father, I could not mate with another Saiyan and just turn them away. How could I treat the bearer of my child that way?" Vegeta was appalled by his father's callousness.

"It is not that hard, Vegeta. The one that birthed you was a good sort of person, but he wanted to take you away from the castle. He wanted you to be raised among his family." King Vegeta looked out the window from boredom rather than regret.

"What happened to him?" Vegeta never heard his father speak of his bearer before.

"One night, he snuck into your room and tried to escape with you to the other side of the planet. He was captured and terminated." King Vegeta delivered the news with true apathy.

"You had my bearer killed? Father, why?" Vegeta's mask came down for a moment to show his discontent at his father's attitude. Noticing his father's eyes and how much they widened with surprise, Vegeta pulled the veil back up. "Father, surely there was another way."

"No, there wasn't. He did what he was meant to, which was birth you. After that, I really had no use for him." His father turned his gaze from the window to catch Vegeta's. "You should choose an honorable mate, or you will have to do what I did. Remember that, Son. There are no second chances for traitors on our planet."

Vegeta pulled his eyes from the King's to peer out of the large glass window. Looking at the planet, Vegeta wondered where one person in those millions was at this moment. Then, the overwhelming gloom his father created gripped his heart. His father killed any remaining hope for a relationship with Kakarrot. He gave his awaiting father an earnest reply. "Yes, Father. I understand."

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On the Saiyan home planet, Kakarrot just finished training with his older brother, Raditz. He wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "Wow, Raditz. I hadn't realized how strong you've gotten. I guess I need to keep working on it." Kakarrot pulled his arm behind his head and smiled.

"Yes, you need to keep training. We may be third classes, but that doesn't mean we can't kick some a…" Bardock opened the door and called for his sons.

"Kakarrot, Raditz, come inside." He paused, hoping to entice his sons. He said, "I made dinner." Upon hearing this, both men ran at the back door at full speed. Raditz arrived at the door first and made himself a plate before Kakarrot reached the house.

"Raditz." Kakarrot huffed. "I'll beat you one day."

"I'm sure." Raditz said with a half full mouth of food.

"No fighting in the house." Their father broke in. "I had to fix this house enough when you two were teenagers. If you mess it up now, I'm going to make you repair it."

"Alright, Dad. I won't fight in the house. I'll beat Kakarrot in the yard as always." Raditz smiled at his brother, now finished with his bite.

"You will not." By now, Kakarrot had made himself a plate and was seated next to his brother. He stuffed the delectable food into his mouth. "I'll beat you next time." The words were nearly unrecognizable, so Bardock again spoke.

"Both of you, be quiet and eat. I'm too old for this all the time. I know you're Saiyans, but fighting isn't the only exciting thing to do on this planet."

"That's right." Kakarrot said with his mouth finally empty. "My friend and I are trying to help other people."

"Are you talking about Veggan? That fellow I met the other day?" Bardock took his seat at the head of the small table, able to eat at last.

"Yes. He's the first new friend I've made in a few years. All the other guys I meet end up being a part of some drug gang or sex ring or something." Kakarrot played with his food for a moment before shoveling in another bite.

"I'm glad you have a new friend, Kakarrot. What about you, Raditz? When are you going to bring home new friends or maybe even a mate? I'm not getting younger. You need to find a nice mate and have some children already. By the time I was your age, I already had you." He grinned at his son.

"I've been looking for a mate but without much success. As Kakarrot said, people are just turning to darker pleasures these days." Raditz wanted to pick at his younger brother's inexperience with romance, so he smirked at Kakarrot and said, "What about you, Kakarrot? Where's your mate?"

Kakarrot blushed slightly. Romantic relationships were the only thing that would make him blush, at least as far as he knew. He always had friendships and never ventured into the area of romance. Although his father had given him the speech about mating and pregnancy several years ago, Kakarrot still felt very shy in his dealings with love and sex.

Seeing the hesitation, Raditz probed further. "Come on, Kaka. Where's your mate? When should we expect to meet him?"

"I don't have a mate. You know that. And, I don't know when I will have one. I would like to find one sometime within the next year or two. I still want to be young when my kids are born." Kakarrot finally replied.

"Oh, so… You are going to be the giver? You won't be the bearer?" Raditz gave his brother a devilish grin.

Kakarrot played with his food again, at an attempt to avoid his brother's gaze. It was a persistent issue between Saiyans. Because their society comprised entirely of men, one male, typically the weaker one, became the bearer of the offspring, while the stronger one became the giver. Most males did not brag about being the bearer. In the fighting world of Saiyans, it was almost shameful to admit weakness, even if it was for the purpose of childbearing.

In an effort to comfort his youngest son, Bardock said, "No one knows if they will become the bearer or giver until they mate. So," he continued, winking at Kakarrot, "there is no need to worry about those things now."

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After dinner was finished and with the kitchen cleaned, Kakarrot walked to the backyard. Seating himself against his favorite tree, he began to wonder about his future mate. 'I wonder what he looks like. What will his name be? Will he be taller than me? I hope he likes training. I want at least a couple of kids, so I hope he'll want that too'. He continued. 'I wonder if we have already met.'

With this thought, Kakarrot's mind filtered through all his past and present acquaintances. He gave back an answer in the negative to all proposed mates, but when his mind stopped on his newest friend, Veggan, Kakarrot felt puzzled. He did not notice any particular attachment on Veggan's side. He figured that they had some things in common, but other than that he was completely unsure.

With these ruminations, Kakarrot sat by his tree for a long while. His father's call forced him to leave the yard and return to prepare for bed. Before reaching the house, Kakarrot resolved to know his friend better. He told himself that it was not for the purpose of finding a mate. 'I just want to learn more about Veggan.'He tried to convince himself, but the seed of interest had already been planted. Raditz's questions started the chain reaction that was leading his younger brother's heart down a new path.

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While Vegeta was gone, both Saiyans had no idea how quickly their affections grew. The time apart passed by in an agonizingly slow manner. When their meeting was only a day away, Vegeta and Kakarrot were nervous but ready to prove to themselves that they lacked any romantic feelings toward the other.

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TBC


	4. His Fruit Was Sweet

**Revised - November 2, 2010**

* * *

Lamb Without Blemish 

"_Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, so __is__ my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, and his fruit __was__ sweet to my taste."_

_(Song of Solomon 2:3)_

Chapter Four

Kakarrot sat beneath the meeting tree, making a fuss over his early arrival. He kept assuring himself that he did not want Veggan to get there first and think he had been stood up. 'I'm the one who invited him. I should be here first.' Kakarrot thought. Closing his eyes, he tried to shift his thoughts else where. He wondered what his father would be making for dinner tonight. After sitting there for several minutes with images of food running in his head, Kakarrot slumped against the tree and dozed off.

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Vegeta arrived at his own predetermined time, which was again a few minutes late. Thick in counseling himself against having any sort of attachment to his friend, Vegeta was unaware of Kakarrot's presence until he was a foot from him. A bright blush overspread his face.

His pure friend looked even more innocent in unguarded sleep. Vegeta gripped his chin and turned away from the sight. He already questioned his debilitated resistance, but this was too much. Pressing his chin tightly, Vegeta shook his mind from the trance. He had to wake Kakarrot up. He could not take this. Vegeta coughed. He heard nothing. He coughed once more but louder. Still, there was no response. He turned his head and looked out of the corner of his eye, using his foot to nudge Kakarrot's. Kakarrot finally stirred.

Blinking, Kakarrot looked around, wondering where he was. He saw Veggan in front of him. "Oh! Hi, Veggan!" Kakarrot said, rubbing his eyes. He smiled up at his friend. "Have you been here long? I'm sorry that I fell asleep. I guess I just drifted off. I was thinking about food and then…" He shrugged.

"It's fine, Kakarrot. I just got here. Are we still heading to your house? I brought my training clothes." Vegeta pulled back his jacket to reveal a tattered shirt and a pair of old pants. Vegeta had destroyed one of his shirts just to keep up the allusion, but he still needed to cover his head. Images of Vegeta and his father were everywhere, so if anyone caught sight of his unique hairstyle, his secret life would end. For this purpose, Vegeta tied a piece of fabric over his hair, forcing his flame-shaped hair to lie flat against his head.

Kakarrot jumped up from his sitting position and patted Vegeta on the shoulder. He ignored the tingling impulses that shot from the touch and said. "Of, course. My dad is making dinner for us. My brother will be home for dinner too, so you can meet him then."

"Okay. That sounds good." Vegeta smiled, but loathed himself. 'I just do whatever he tells me to. I'm hopeless.' He thought.

Kakarrot squeezed his shoulder lightly. "Ready to go?" Vegeta nodded. "Follow me." Kakarrot took off, and Vegeta was finally able to take in a deep breath. The proximity to his friend a moment ago had made his chest tighten. 'How can I do this?' He reflected on his control before following Kakarrot's trail in the sky.

|||:

Kakarrot was standing in a large field behind a house when Vegeta arrived. "There you are!" He called before Vegeta's feet touched the ground. "I want to get started. I've been waiting for this the whole week." He placed his arm behind his head and laughed casually. He did not want Vegeta to understand how true that statement was.

"Me too." Vegeta mumbled. Pulling off his jacket, the sleeveless shirt revealed Vegeta's tanned and muscular arms. He felt eyes upon him and looked to Kakarrot, who quickly shifted his gaze.

"Alright," the taller Saiyan yelled, "let's start." Kakarrot gulped, not knowing how much more of this sight he could take in.

The fight started out slowly. In the first twenty minutes, both Saiyans were equally matched, but when Kakarrot suggested that they fight with all their might, Vegeta obliged him and quickly outranked him. The next skillfully placed hit sent Kakarrot flying across the yard. Vegeta paused. "Are you alright?" He may have gone too far.

Kakarrot replied with a swift energy blast. Vegeta had let his guard down, so the blast took him by surprise. He was still able to deflect it but not before the blast burned a gapping hole down the front of his shirt. Noticing the smoke, Vegeta ripped the remainder of his shirt off and threw it to the ground.

Even from the distance across the field, Kakarrot could make out Veggan's toned chest. His eyes widened in reaction. Throughout his short friendship with Veggan, Kakarrot had never seen him without a jacket. Now, this man stood opposite him, topless.

Vegeta saw Kakarrot's hesitation. "It's alright, Kakarrot. It was an old shirt anyways. Don't worry about it."

'Oh, yeah. That's right. I destroyed his shirt.' Kakarrot remembered. "I'm sorry, Veggan. I can buy you another, if you'd like."

"Don't worry. It's fine." He began walking towards Kakarrot. Offering a hand once he reached him, Vegeta tried to embody the casual friendship that he was supposed to be sharing with Kakarrot. He felt like a pervert for being even more attracted to this man when he saw Kakarrot gazing at his chest.

Kakarrot accepted the help. "Thanks." He said, standing. "Hey! I've got a shirt you can have. Come on. I'll show you. It is in my room." He playfully tapped Vegeta's chest with the back of his hand.

Both men headed towards the house, shrugging off the surge of heat they had felt from the contact with the other's skin.

|||:

Kakarrot opened the back door and motioned for Vegeta to enter. Kakarrot followed. Vegeta saw a small dinning area, table, and a tiny kitchen. Indeed, it was a far cry from the castle, but then again, he did not know what to expect from a commoner's house. He had never been in one. A voice stirred him from his observations.

"Hey, boys!" Bardock called from the kitchen. He arched an eyebrow at Vegeta. "What happened to Veggan's clothes? I thought you were the only Saiyan that liked to run around half-naked, Son."

"You're so funny, Dad. Veggan lost his shirt while we were fighting. I was just going to get him one of mine." Kakarrot smiled nervously at Vegeta.

"Alright. Veggan, would you like to stay for dinner? I made Kakarrot's favorite dish tonight."

Vegeta opened his mouth, but was cut off by Kakarrot. "Really?" He cheered. "Yes!" He turned to Vegeta. "You're in for a treat, Veggan." He grinned.

"Will you let him answer first before you start making plans?" Bardock corrected his son.

"I would be honored to stay, Bardock." Vegeta said in his "Prince of the Saiyans" voice.

"Alright. Well, make sure Kakarrot gets you a nice shirt. He hardly wears them here, so you should have a good selection." Bardock teased.

"Thanks, Dad!" Kakarrot grabbed Vegeta's wrist and hurried him to his room. Once inside, Kakarrot turned. "I'm sorry, Veggan. My dad is such a comedian. He loves to joke around." He said, still embarrassed.

Vegeta chuckled. "It's fine. So," he probed, "you run around without a shirt on?" He could not help but laugh out loud.

"Yeah…" Kakarrot blushed deeply. "Well, let's see what I can find for you." Trying to change the subject, Kakarrot opened the closet and started looking through the piles of clothes. He presented Vegeta with an orange shirt with a navy blue collar. "Is this okay, Veggan?"

"Sure." He took the shirt from Kakarrot and put it on immediately to both Saiyans' dismay and relief.

|||:

Bardock, Kakarrot, and Vegeta were already seated at the table when Raditz strode in. "Sorry, I'm late. I got caught up in a…" Noticing Vegeta, he asked. "Why didn't anyone tell me we had a guest?"

"I told you this morning that I was bringing my friend over." Kakarrot said with a mouth full food.

"Well, I don't remember." Raditz huffed before walking to the kitchen to fix his own plate. He returned to the table with a full plate and seated himself next to his father. "I'm Raditz, by the way. I'm sure my brother didn't tell you that." He extended his hand to Vegeta.

"I did too." Kakarrot fussed with a spoon hanging out of his mouth.

"I'm Veggan." Vegeta replied after he shook Raditz's hand.

"I know. Kakarrot has been talking about you nonstop. I think he's in love with you or something." He said to Vegeta seriously before turning to smirk at his younger brother.

"Quit being weird, Raditz. Veggan is my friend. Not everyone is a pervert like you." He stuck his tongue out at his brother.

"I'm sorry, Veggan." Bardock interrupted. "They are still very young." He paused. "By the way, how old are you? Raditz is twenty two, and Kakarrot is nearly twenty."

"I am twenty five."

"Really?" Kakarrot nearly spit out his food from shock. Raditz and Bardock exchanged surprised glances at each other. They thought Kakarrot would have already known that.

"Yes. Is that bad?" Vegeta said after wiping his mouth with a napkin in his polished style.

"No." Kakarrot calmed himself. "I'm just surprised. I thought you were my age."

"You must forgive Kakarrot." Raditz said to Veggan. "He's so simple minded sometimes."

Kakarrot glared at his brother. He hurried to finish his meal, so he could be away from such embarrassing relatives.

|||:

After dinner, Kakarrot rushed his friend out of the house before Vegeta could finish his long speech of appreciation to Bardock for the meal. "Come on, Veggan." Kakarrot grabbed Vegeta's arm and ran into the field, disappearing from his father and brother's sight. After releasing Vegeta, he leaned against a tree and sighed. "I'm sorry. We don't get new company very often with the way the world has been lately. Don't believe anything they say. They…"

Vegeta cut in. "Don't worry about it, Kakarrot. That was fun. I don't recall ever having a dinner quite like that." 'Very true.' He thought. 'Even the dinners with foreign leaders were not so animated.' His eyes met Kakarrot's. "I liked it." He smiled up at his friend, an action that was becoming easier to do.

"Really?" Kakarrot smiled back. "I'm glad."

Vegeta sat on a rock near Kakarrot's chosen tree. An awkward silence fell then. Vegeta's mind kept turning over the words that Raditz had said about Kakarrot being in love with him. Kakarrot's mind was equally engaged in the statements, for he looked at Vegeta and said.

"You didn't believe him about me being in love with you, did you?" Kakarrot laughed nervously before catching Vegeta face. His eyes widened when he saw the flushed skin on Vegeta's cheeks.

Vegeta turned his head away and replied. "Was he right?"

Kakarrot began to scratch his head with his index finger. "Well, I mean… You know… Um…." Kakarrot mumbled incoherently.

Vegeta kept his head turned, and the uncomfortable silence returned. The two withstood several more tense minutes. After Kakarrot gained a firm grip on his emotions, he made his decision. 'It was now or never.' He thought that he would never have the courage to do this again.

"How do you feel?" Vegeta still hid his face. Kakarrot moved to kneel in front of Vegeta. Pulling Vegeta's face gently towards him, Kakarrot leaned forward and kissed his friend. Their lips met softly and very quickly, but both men felt a lightning bolt of desire zing through their bodies. Kakarrot moved back and asked. "How do you feel, Veggan?" His brown eyes locked onto Vegeta's steely grey ones.

"I… I…" Vegeta stuttered. "Kakarrot, you don't understand. This can't happen, even if I wanted it to." He answered, pushing Kakarrot away from himself.

"What do you mean?" Kakarrot questioned. The adrenaline from the kiss withered away at Vegeta's words.

"I can't explain. I just can't, Kakarrot." Vegeta failed from hiding the fear and disappointment from his voice.

He stood silently for a moment with his back turned to Kakarrot before adding his own kind of warning. A warning that he hoped would soothe his feelings and make him believe that he was losing less than he was. "It is not a life you would want. They would insult you, Kakarrot. They would hate you for what you are."

"For what I am?" Kakarrot was confused. "What am I? What are talking about?" He felt sick.

"I can't explain. I must go. I'm sorry if I mislead you. Thank you for your kindness." With those words, Vegeta raced into the sky. The breeze made by his hasty retreat blew Kakarrot's hair over his eyes, hiding his fresh tears.

|||:

TBC


	5. I Have Found You

**Revised - November 2, 2010**

* * *

Lamb Without Blemish

"_So I came out to meet you, diligently to seek your face, and I have found you."_

_(Proverbs 7:15)_

Chapter Five

"Kakarrot's been really down lately." Raditz said between bites of his breakfast.

"Yes, he's been that way since Veggan stopped coming by." His father answered.

"I wonder what happened between them. As far as I knew, they seemed to be good friends until Kakarrot came back from the yard after dinner that night. What was up with that?"

"I'm not sure." Bardock said. "He was very upset though. He looked like he had been crying. Kakarrot is not the type to cry for no reason. He's emotional for a male, I'll admit, but only because he tends to be happier than most. He usually isn't sad for long." He paused, looking at his son. "Raditz, you should take Kakarrot to that speech tonight. It would be good for him to get out of the house. He's been in the house constantly for the past two weeks. We haven't had any meetings lately, and you got a special pass to that event. Take your brother. It will cheer him up to hear about the changes the King and Prince intend to make."

"Alright. I'll take him. I was planning to take one of my friends, but I know Kakarrot needs it. I've never seen him so sad before." Raditz smirked. "Maybe Veggan broke up with him."

"Raditz, be quiet. If he was in relationship with Veggan and they broke up, you know that your brother is really hurt. Veggan was probably his first boyfriend. Do you remember how you felt when you broke up with your first boyfriend a couple of years ago? May I remind you that you are still single?" Bardock narrowed his eyes at his eldest. "You haven't dated since then, so don't be mean to your brother."

"Fine." Raditz sighed. "I'll go get him."

|||:

Kakarrot was laying on his bed, vacantly looking up at the ceiling when Raditz entered his room. He did not turn to look at his brother as he spoke.

"Hey, Kaka. What's up, bro?" Kakarrot felt the bed shift from his brother's weight. "I've got an idea. I got passes to that speech tonight. A lot of important people are going to be there. All the city mayors, provincial leaders, and even the King and Prince Vegeta are going to be there."

"Really?" Kakarrot said weakly after the mention of royalty. The King was notorious for his apparent lack of time for public meetings. For him to be present at a speech was really rare.

"Oh, yeah. I only got the tickets because I'm in that political program for the mayor's office. I've worked my butt off these past three years to get perks like this." He paused, thinking for a moment about all the hard work he had put into his job.

He continued. "They gave me two passes. Think Kakarrot. We could shake hands with the Prince and maybe even the King. I've heard the King isn't as willing to meet third classes, but they say the Prince is very nice to everyone. Maybe we could get his autograph and show it to Dad's friends at the next meeting. I bet they'd go crazy over that."

"I'm sure they would." Kakarrot rolled over to look at his brother.

"So, you'll go?" Raditz grinned.

"Yeah, I guess. I'm getting kind of tired of sitting in my room. The speech might be fun." Kakarrot smiled back, but without his usual warmth behind it.

"It will, Kaka. I promise. Come on and get ready. I want to leave early." With that, Raditz jumped up from the bed and walked out of the room. Kakarrot could not help but worry if he would run into Veggan while he was out, but he figured that was highly unlikely since the event was by invitation only. Veggan had never been to a meeting until Kakarrot took him, so he probably did not have any political connections. Kakarrot resolved to be confident in this belief and prepared himself in his best clothes for the speech that evening.

|||:

With his mahogany tail wrapped around his waist, Kakarrot entered the dinning area in his finest clothes to meet with his awaiting brother and father. His father simply smiled at him in admiration. Raditz was not as subtle.

"Wow, Kakarrot! You look great! You been such a lump these past couple of weeks that I forgot there was a strong Saiyan under there." Raditz exclaimed. His father's glare made Raditz correct himself. "I mean. You look great, Kakarrot. Are you ready to leave?"

"Yeah. Let's go." With that, the two young Saiyans walked out the door and flew off towards the castle, where the speech would be held.

|||:

Vegeta lingered in his chamber for some time. He did not want to go to the speech tonight but obligation demanded it. At least, he had arranged a deal with his father that enabled him to remain speechless. The King had agreed to speak if Vegeta would shake hands with the guests. It was an ideal trade for both men since Vegeta did not enjoy giving public speeches, and the King did not like talking to those that were not of noble blood.

When Vegeta heard a knock at the door, he knew that it was his father's servant coming to get him. Vegeta fastened his cape to either sides of his royal vest and walked to the door. He called for the servant to enter. Once the servant entered, he stated what Vegeta already knew. Vegeta then followed the boy to main hall, where his father was waiting.

"Prince Vegeta, it is unbecoming for a prince to be late." He said in a stern tone.

"I'm sorry, Father. I had trouble picking out what to wear. My servant has been sick this week."

"I told you that we would have gotten a replacement for you. We have enough help to go around." He folded his arms in irritation.

"I know. I just didn't want to pull someone away from their job. My servant has been helping me for the past five years. He is only one I trust to take care of my personal belongings." Vegeta replied, trying to smooth things over with his father.

The King was satisfied with the answer and ventured to another topic. "Are you ready for the guests?"

"Yes, Father. I am ready." Vegeta pulled back on his gloves to show his father that he was prepared to shake the hands of countless visitors. He normally wore gloves, but his father had given him strict instructions at dinner over the past week to be sure not to touch third classes without his gloves on.

"I've only allowed for twenty passes to be handed out, so do not concern yourself too much. There may be some third classes here though. They have made a habit of accepting them into work programs at the city offices." The King sneered.

"I see." Vegeta's mind floated to one Saiyan in particular. He knew Kakarrot did not work with the mayor's office but was unsure of his father and brother. He hoped more than anything that Kakarrot was not so unfortunate to get a pass to the event tonight. Vegeta was worried about the scene that may come from them meeting under such circumstances.

A servant approached the King and said something to him in a low voice. "Come, Prince Vegeta. We must take our spot."

|||:

Kakarrot stood behind his brother in the line, waiting to enter the main hall at the castle. Both men had remarked on all the splendors the castle held. There were fine jewels and gold about the rooms while elegant statues and paintings of leaders past lined the walls. Kakarrot had seen pictures of these things in the books that Raditz had brought home from the mayor's office, but it was so much more magnificent in person. He was stirred by his brother's arm on his own.

"Come on, Kakarrot. It's our turn. We didn't come all this way just to stare at the walls." Raditz hurried him into the room.

The long pathway opened to a massive hall. The ceiling reached at least one hundred feet. Bright lights and flowers framed the room. Kakarrot thought it was beautiful. The brothers were shown to their seats, for the opening ceremony was about to begin. Kakarrot sat on the edge of his seat as the lights dimmed.

The announcer called in a loud voice, "May I present King Vegeta and Prince Vegeta." Everyone stood up as the King and his son walked out from behind a curtain.

|||:

Kakarrot forgot how to breathe.

When the Prince's face came into view, he could hardly believe his eyes. "No, there's no way." He said to himself amidst the applause of the crowd.

The King took to the stage while the Prince sat nearby. Kakarrot felt a nudge against his ribs. "Sit down, you idiot. Do you want to get kicked out?" His brother fussed. Kakarrot had not even realized that everyone else was already sitting. He quickly took his seat.

Kakarrot dug his fingers into his thighs in attempt to keep away the tears. He could not believe that his friend was the Prince. 'There's just no way.' He thought. 'How can he be the prince? I thought the prince wasn't even allowed in the city without a ton of guards.'

Kakarrot then remembered that every time he had seen Veggan he had his head covered. 'That's why.' His eyes widened. 'Now, I get it. He said we couldn't be together. It's because I'm a third class. That is what he meant by "what I am."'

Kakarrot did not know whether to be upset or overjoyed. He felt relieved that Vegeta had not denied him because he did not want him or did not care for him; he was disheartened because he was a third class while Vegeta was a prince. He understood why Vegeta had pushed him away. Kakarrot knew little about the government on the Saiyan planet, but knew that the noble families could not mate with those from the third class.

Although Kakarrot never before felt inhibited due to his standing in society, he painfully watched a gloom overshadow his future happiness. The past two weeks he had only thought of Veggan and his desire to see him once more. He finally gave into his emotions, accepting that he was in love with his friend.

Now, he felt crushed, even more so than when Vegeta left. At least then, he had hope of possibly meeting with Veggan again. He had visited the tree daily to wait on his friend to no avail. Kakarrot did his best to push away the sobs that began to grow in his chest.

By this time, the King was nearly done with his speech. Kakarrot slumped down his seat, barely able to hear anything above the constant counseling he was giving himself. He shifted his eyes quickly to the stage and found the Prince.

Prince Vegeta was seated near the King in an ornate chair. His arms were folded, but his eyes were wandering the crowd. Kakarrot shot his eyes down and assured himself that the Prince did not know he was there. Suddenly, everyone was on their feet again. Kakarrot slowly moved out of his seat to stand next to his brother. The speech just ended, and the crowd gave the King a standing ovation. 'I missed the whole thing because of Veggan. I mean Vegeta.' Kakarrot sighed.

|||:

It was finally time for Vegeta to fulfill his end of the deal. His father had reminded him of that when he finished his speech. "Come, Prince Vegeta. You must take your place." He told his son.

Vegeta left his seat and moved to an elevated platform on the other side of the room. The guests had already formed a line in front of his spot. Vegeta exhaled deeply, hoping that this process would go by quickly. Before Vegeta motioned for the guard to let the first guest come forward, he gathered his control so that he could be cordial towards the eager Saiyans.

|||:

"Kakarrot, why don't you want to shake hands with the Prince? I thought that is one of the reasons why you came." Raditz stared incredulously at his brother.

"I just don't want to. Let's stay here." Kakarrot looked at his chair, hiding his eyes from Raditz.

"We're going. I will not hear you complain later about not getting to meet the Prince because of momentary fear."

"But, Raditz…" Before he could finish his sentence Raditz gripped his arm tightly and nearly dragged his younger brother to the back of the long line.

|||:

Vegeta breathed a sigh of relief. There were only five more people in the line. His hand was numb, and his head was on the verge of aching badly. He greeted the next two people. It was a young couple. Vegeta listened to their meek voices as they explained how pleased they were of the King's changes for children.

Vegeta's eyes drifted to the protruding belly of one of the Saiyans before him. When he cut his eyes back up, he beheld a face. He did not believe his eyes at first. The face was that of someone he knew. He scratched his mind for the name. When the young couple left, he watched as the man moved closer to the platform. He barely heard the next Saiyan in front of him. His body went into autopilot. While the Saiyan before him spoke, he finally recalled that special person's name.

It was Kakarrot.

|||:

TBC


	6. Set Among Princes

Lamb Without Blemish

"_He raises the poor from the dust __and__ lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set __them__ among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory."_

_(1 Samuel 2:8)_

Chapter Six

Vegeta froze. He had thought of his friend nearly every moment since they parted, but he never dreamt of happening upon him at the castle. Kakarrot, whose eyes had been shifted elsewhere, returned to their place of fixation on Vegeta's face. As their eyes met, Vegeta knew. He understood that his charade was up. Burning away a chapter of his life, Kakarrot's gaze dissolved Vegeta's secret persona.

Kakarrot and Raditz advanced. Now, they stood before Vegeta. Raditz bowed and told the Prince of his honor to meet him. 'He must not recognize me.' Vegeta resolved after questioning his vacant behavior. There was no way of mistaking Kakarrot's actions though. He stood silent and still. His brother pulled him down into a bow. After Raditz took the Prince's hand, Raditz again forced his brother into civility. When their hands met, two completely opposite reactions took place.

For Kakarrot, the touch of his hand to Vegeta's was a confirmation of their situations in life. Vegeta stood on a platform, elevated above Kakarrot. Kakarrot believed this be the destiny of their lives. No matter what Kakarrot did or accomplished, he would always be at least one step below Vegeta. He would never be good enough for a prince. As a third class, he was without uncertainty to become the bearer for a second class mate. It was a life he had never despised until tonight, but the future hope of parenthood was shrouded in tainted happiness. Kakarrot could not love anyone as passionately as he loved Vegeta.

For Vegeta, the momentary embrace of their hands birthed an answer. It was the question that had kept him awake for hours into the night over the last couple of weeks. It was a question that he had posed to himself. He had asked, 'Can I live without Kakarrot?' In that instant, the question was silenced. Vegeta knew that he could never live without Kakarrot. As Kakarrot began to pull his hand away, Vegeta wept inside at the lost of his touch. He declared to himself that he would never be without it for more than a day again. He would find a way.

|||:

When the Saiyan brothers arrived home, Kakarrot stormed off to his room and slammed the door. Bardock's mouth still hung open from a question he desired to ask. He wanted to know if his son felt better, but there seemed to be no need to wonder. He decided to question his eldest son instead. "Raditz, what happened?"

"I don't know. Everything was going fine. The speech started, and Kakarrot didn't listen. He just slumped down in his seat. Then, when we were allowed to meet the Prince, he said he didn't want to."

Bardock interrupted. "Didn't want to meet the Prince?" He stared incredulously.

"Yeah, he didn't want to meet him. I figured he was shy, so I dragged him over there. He froze up in front of the Prince. He wouldn't even speak. After I forced him to shake his hand, Kakarrot rushed me out of the castle. I don't know what is wrong with him, but I'm not bringing him to another event." Raditz mimicked his brother's actions and left to brood in his room.

|||:

Vegeta slammed his fists down on the desk. A week had passed since the speech. Following his admittance of love for Kakarrot, Vegeta underwent a new heat cycle. Saiyan males started going into heat soon after hitting puberty. These periods lasted about ten days and occurred about twice a year for males that did not have mates. Vegeta had been dealing with his cycle for ten years now.

Vegeta awoke the morning after the speech deep in cycle of heat. He had told the servants to bring his food and clothes to him every morning. He then took his pillow and a blanket and threw himself in the library, locking it behind him. For the past seven days, Vegeta had poured over every book in the library in the hopes of finding a solution for his desires. He knew that he wanted Kakarrot for a mate, but he needed a way for that to happen without losing support from his father. His father was still the king and could take the crown from if Vegeta went against Saiyan laws.

There was another reason why Vegeta had locked himself up. Other than his first heat, this particular heat was the strongest. Vegeta could handle the burnings during the daytime. When the light was stolen away at night, the Prince found it difficult to maintain his composure. He tied his legs down and hid in the back of the library. Vegeta assumed that Kakarrot had either not fallen in love with him completely or that due to his age, Kakarrot's cycles were more random. Vegeta feared the first possibility.

Vegeta looked out the window. The cascading rays of red and yellow lit up the horizon. He growled at the retreating sun. He warned his servants not to enter the library regardless of what they heard at night. He had told them that they put their lives in immediate risk if they entered his chamber. This night Vegeta felt entirely overtaken by his fire. He double checked the lock on the door and made his way to the back of the library. Grabbing his restraints after lying down, Vegeta tied himself down and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for the transformation of his hormones.

|||:

Kakarrot heard a stir by the window in his room. He rolled over and found nothing but the wind playing with the curtain. He had just shut his eyes again when he felt a weight press upon the bed. Raising his fists in defense, Kakarrot turned back. "Who is it?!" He yelled.

His wrists were yanked beside his head. Hot breath flew to his face. Kakarrot felt pure terror. The breeze created by the jerk of Kakarrot's hand made the curtains shift, hiding the intruder's face in shadow. As the light settled, Kakarrot could make out a face above him. "Vegeta?" He questioned.

Kakarrot's friend had blood red eyes and seemed to be in a heat induced rage. Kakarrot saw it when Raditz hit puberty and had felt it himself nearly four years ago when he experienced his first cycle. He already guessed that Vegeta cared for him in some way. Kakarrot's desire had not been unmet when they kissed a couple of weeks ago, and now, Vegeta was in heat. Kakarrot did not want to assume that he caused this violent change but could not find another reason. He had to shake his friend from this trance. Kakarrot loved Vegeta and wanted to be with him physically, but not in this manner. He started kicking his legs to find that the action only enraged Vegeta further. The man above him leaned forward and just before capturing his lips, Kakarrot screamed. "Vegeta!"

The reddened eyes faded to their usual shade of onyx, and the crushing pressure on Kakarrot's wrists ceased. The weight above him shifted towards the end of the bed. Pushing himself against the head board, Kakarrot sat up. He never in his life considered someone breaking into his room at night, especially not the Prince of Saiyans.

Speaking of the Prince, Kakarrot looked at him. Vegeta stared vacantly at the floor. Kakarrot had gotten him out of one trance to find him in another. He called out once more. "Vegeta?" He said it softly this time.

Before he could react, he felt a smoldering body around him. "I'm so sorry, Kakarrot." Vegeta said with his arms around Kakarrot. "I didn't mean to. I had locked myself away all week to avoid this. I should have gotten a guard to watch over me. I'm so sorry, Kakarrot." Vegeta explained. Reflects kicked in, and Kakarrot spread his long arms around Vegeta's back.

"Its okay, Vegeta. I had a tough time with my first heat."

Vegeta smiled against Kakarrot's shoulder. "But, this isn't my first heat." He paused, taking in Kakarrot's words and pushed away from their embrace. "That's right. You know the truth. I apologize for my deception, but there was no way for me to see you if I did not conceal my identity."

"I understand, but what difference does it make for me to know? You are the Prince while I'm only a third class, Vegeta. There's no way we could ever be together."

"So… you want to be with me?" Vegeta watched his friend's reaction.

"Yes, but I know it could not happen no matter how much I may want it to. You know I'm right." Kakarrot turned his face from Vegeta.

"Kakarrot, over the last week I have had to live with this truth, and I have desperately tried to find a way around the rules. I wish I could say that I have the right answers for this situation, but I do not. It is the same way with the state of our world. I do not believe a clear path will be laid out in front of us. I want to carve out my own path, Kakarrot. I will not find another mate. It has to be you."

Vegeta waited for Kakarrot, and when no answer came, he continued. "My friend, I never envisioned that I would fall in love with a third class, but then again I did not know that it would be you. I am sure we are not the first Saiyans in history that went against the class rules, and I will not be kept from an attainable happiness because of a title. If you do not want me, I would give up the quest entirely, but this not so. You proclaimed that you did want me. What am I to do now, Kakarrot? Would you expect me, a stubborn and selfish man, to give up the one thing in my life I have ever gone against the wishes of my father to have, the first thing in my life that I have struggled with? I won't do it, Kakarrot. It is selfish of me, but… you excite me. When we spoke that first night in the tree, I felt something I never knew of. It was commonality. You listened to me as a Saiyan, not as a prince. I sensed no falsehood from you, no cloak concealing your well-placed emotions. I have noticed a fabrication of good humor and morality from others, but with you, I felt none of this. I have seen so many leaders prevaricate their offers of peace and loyalty. I had been infected with their pretense of distortion until I met you, Kakarrot."

Vegeta gripped his temple while he spoke. "I felt my control slipping. In the past, I could will away my desires, but your gravitational pull was too much. I struggled in vain as this admiration blossomed into deep-set love. I have been undone by the raptures you have crafted within me because of you kindness. Even if I wanted to, I could never love another in the same manner that I love you." Kakarrot had been staring at him throughout his speech. Vegeta needed no invitation to start his long dialog, but now sought to find an opening for his next sentence. Kakarrot obliged him.

Kakarrot smiled at him. "I see."

A wave of emotion washed over him. Taking Kakarrot's hand in his own, Vegeta leaned forward. "Kakarrot, will you be my mate?"

Kakarrot could only nod in response. He moved towards Vegeta to kiss him, only to be gently pushed back.

"I'm sorry, Kakarrot, but I can't. If I kiss you now, I will lose control. I must present you to my father first anyway. It is against Saiyan tradition for the prince to sleep with his mate prior to the ceremony, and in my current state that is a most certain outcome if we kissed." Vegeta hung his feet over the side of the bed and gripped his face in his hands.

"Vegeta?" Kakarrot grew concerned when Vegeta sat motionless for a few minutes. As his hand reached out to touch Vegeta's shoulder, Vegeta jumped towards the window.

"Kakarrot, I can't take this. I will return in three days. I will do my best to look into this. Please do not mention any of this to your family." With those hasty words, Vegeta pulled himself through the window and flew away.

Kakarrot watched the trail fade and laid down to digest the events of that night. In one night, he had found out his friend was a prince, loved him, and now was his soon-to-be mate. He tried to relax on the bed. At first, he questioned his ability to sleep after such happenings, but before he knew it, his eyes fluttered open to morning light and the hope of a happy future.

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To Be Continued.


	7. Cast Him Down

Lamb Without Blemish

"_And I saw him __confront__ing the ram; he was moved with rage against him, attacked the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand."_

_(Daniel 8:7)_

Chapter Seven

Vegeta awoke the next morning in his own bed. Blinking, he tried to recall how he had gotten there. 'That's right.' He remembered. 'I asked Kakarrot to be my mate. Oh, Kami. What am I going to do?' He stood and pulled the rope to summon his servant.

Once Vegeta was dressed, he went in search of the family records in the study. He spent a couple of hours digging through all the information and found the news puzzling. After retreating to the garden to digest his findings, Vegeta reflected on the anomalies of the records. A period of time was completely vacant from the files. The missing time stretched from his grandfather's reign to present day. It was usual to misplace a few years, but to lack a span of nearly fifty years was odd. Vegeta always thought of his family as excellent keepers of history.

The ruling Saiyan family were known to be quite proud and marveled at their splendor by recording their triumphs and made a point of showing off their pure-blood heritage. 'There has got to be an explanation for this.' Vegeta thought. He had found the names of relatives ten generations back, but the name of his bearer and his father's bearer were absent. Just then, Vegeta heard the gardener who had been tending to a flowering plant. The man looked very old. 'He probably worked here when my bearer was still alive.' Vegeta thought and called out to the man.

The gardener quickly made his way over to Vegeta and bowed very low, for Vegeta was sitting down. Once Vegeta motioned for him to stand, he began his questioning. "Have you worked here long?"

"Yes, Sir. I have worked here all of my life but the first five years."

"Did you know of my bearer or of my father's?" Vegeta said.

The gardener shifted nervously. "Sir, I'm not supposed to speak of that."

"Under whose orders?" Vegeta's eyes focused on him.

"The King's, Sir." He stared at the ground.

"All I ask is the name of my bearer and where he came from. I will only ask you this only once and will not speak of it again. Give me his name." Vegeta commanded.

"His name was Tokata, Sir. He was from the western side of the planet, a village called Levida." His said in voice barely audible. "I cannot say anymore. Please forgive me, Prince Vegeta."

"You have done your duty. I thank you." Vegeta sent the man back to his work with a flick of his hand. Vegeta sat in the garden for a while, contemplating his next move. He did not want to wait any longer. He had waited his entire life to be mated and to have a family. Only one hindrance stood in his way – his father. The King would never allow him to mate a third class, but this missing period of time and the circumstances surrounding his bearer seemed too connected to be circumstantial. 'Unraveling this mystery may lead to a resolution to my situation with Kakarrot.' He hoped.

Vegeta stood, feeling confident in his next move. He decided to go to Levida and track down his bearer's family. 'There is a secret buried, and I will dig it up.' He thought as he walked towards his room to pack for his journey.

|||:

Vegeta landed on the edge of town and took in the sight of it. The town of Levida was an old frontier town that had definitely seen better days. Fifty years before Vegeta's birth, Levida had been a popular stop for travelers heading towards the western wilderness. Now, the town reeked of decay and filthy transients.

His presence was marked by some, but thankfully for Vegeta, he had chosen to wear tattered coat and a wrap around his head, so he blended in fairly well with the common crowd of people that littered the street.

His first task was probably the most difficult. He had to track down his bearer's family. Vegeta figured if his father had covered this information from the family records at the castle that people in Tokata's home town would not be too willing to talk about him. He was hoping to find a Saiyan who was not so frightened of the King so that he would tell Vegeta the required information. Vegeta walked further down the street, noting all the homeless people. He saw one man at the end of street, standing at the opening of an alley. Vegeta decided he would be a good first attempt.

"What do you want?" The man yelled before Vegeta got to him.

Vegeta walked closer to him and said in a quiet voice, "I need information on a Saiyan named Tokata."

"Why? What's he mean to you?" He spit on the ground near Vegeta's foot.

"I'll make it worth your time." Vegeta reached in his pocket and pulled out some of his money. Flashing his money in front of the man, Vegeta figured he had made his point.

"Alright, I don't know much. That guy is dead. That's all I know 'bout him. His brother is still here though. He gives me food sometimes – good man."

"Where does he live?" Vegeta grew impatient.

"Well, if you'd give me a little more money I might remember." He smiled a toothless smile at the Prince.

"Here." Vegeta pulled another bill from his pocket and handed the pile to the man.

"He lives near the woods. He lived there since… Well, I guess it's been a long time. Everybody around here knows him." He grinned.

"What is his name?" Vegeta was losing patience with this man.

"It's Gratto." The homeless Saiyan held out his hand again.

Vegeta gave him one more bill and turned away. "Thank you." Vegeta called as he ran towards the edge of town. He figured that he could have gotten the information from a store owner, if what the man had told was true about everyone knowing Gratto. 'Oh, well.' He mentally shrugged away the worry. 'At least, I have the information I need.'

|||:

Vegeta stopped a couple more times on his way to Gratto's home. The instructions he had been given were not entirely accurate. Gratto's home was further away from town than the homeless man had made it seem. He ran at first, but after receiving too much unwanted attention, Vegeta walked at a moderate pace. He feared that night was drawing in too quickly. He did not intend to make a poor impression on his bearer's family by going into a heat induced rage at their home. Vegeta gripped his temples at the thought.

When he finally arrived at the house, Vegeta was thoroughly angered. All the villagers were difficult to ask directions from. 'They seemed to be lacking in some of their mental faculties.' He thought.

An over-grown path was all that marked the way to the house. After taking in the house, Vegeta understood why most people could not tell him how to accurately get there. The home was in disrepair. Surrounding the house were dying shrubs and abandoned tools. It appeared that the house was uninhabited. Vegeta truly hoped against this. Evening was approaching, and if this was not his bearer's family, he would have to wait another day to search. Slowly, Vegeta made his way to the front door, doing his best not to step on any of the old tools.

He got to the door and knocked three times with no answer. Vegeta peeked around either sides of the house. He knocked again, calling out to whoever was inside. "Hello?" He waited. Hearing nothing, he tried again. "Hello? I just wanted to speak to Gratto for a moment. Please, this is very important."

Vegeta heard a rustle from within the house. The door creaked open, slightly allowing for a portion of a man's face to be seen. "What do you want to talk to Gratto for?" The man whispered.

"Please, Sir." Vegeta pleaded. "I heard of Tokata, Gratto's brother. I just want to know more about him."

"Why do you want to know about Tokata? Don't you know it's rude to speak of the dead, Boy?" He glared at Vegeta.

"I apologize, Sir, but this is of dire importance. My name is Vegeta. Tokata was my bearer. I must know about him." Vegeta declared.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" The man eyed Vegeta.

Vegeta pulled off his head wrap in reply. The man's mouth hung open for a moment before he slammed the door. Vegeta stared at the closed door in disbelief before it was flung open. The man rushed from inside the house to Vegeta and embraced him. "Oh, Prince Vegeta, I have been waiting for you to visit me since Tokata died."

"I'm sorry that I only recently took an interest in him. My father never mentioned him until a few weeks ago." Vegeta said, a bit uncomfortable with the forced affection.

The man released him. "It's alright. I'm just glad you came. I am Gratto. Tokata was my younger brother. Come inside. I will tell you about him."

Vegeta stepped inside, thankful to find that the interior of the home did not match its decaying exterior. Gratto motioned for him to enter the kitchen. He opened a few cabinets and produced a couple of cups. He retrieved a beverage from the fridge and poured some of it into Vegeta's cup and then into his own. Gratto then began his tale.

"I must admit that I am a little surprised to see you here, Prince Vegeta. Don't get me wrong. I am very glad you have come, but I thought with the way everything went down in regards to Tokata that you would never know of us."

"I'm sorry, Gratto. My father told me about how he had Tokata terminated." Vegeta grimaced at the last word.

"Yes, he did. To the King, Tokata became a tool. When he was no longer useful to him, he got rid of him." He paused, looking at Vegeta. "What did the King say about Tokata? I mean. What did he say was the reason for his death?"

"My father said that Tokata was killed because he tried to escape with me to the other side of the planet. Was this true?" Vegeta questioned.

"Yes, it is. Your bearer was my little brother – ten years my junior actually. He was a kind person, perhaps a little too naïve though. It may not appear so now, but thirty years ago, our family was one of the few noble families in this region. When my brother and I heard about the young Prince looking for a mate amongst the noble families, we were very excited. Tokata and I dressed in our finest clothes and set out to meet your father. Once we arrived at the castle, we had to wait in the main hall with other noble families that had come. Your father walked in a few minutes late with his father nudging him along." Gratto laughed. "Your father looked nervous at first with the duty of having to greet all the guests, but when Tokata and I got to meet him, he smiled at my brother. I would not say it was love-at-first sight. I would say only that there was an immediate attraction between the two." He smiled at Vegeta.

"After that day, Tokata was invited to the castle several times before your father asked him to be his mate. Tokata was so excited. He thought that your father truly loved him, and with this connection to the ruling family, Tokata hoped to help second and third class Saiyans. Things were not as bad back then, but they were starting to decline. Tokata saw this and wanted to use his connection to positively impact our world. Like I told you, Tokata was a little naïve." He paused to take a sip of his drink. Vegeta copied him. After a long sip, Gratto continued.

"When your father and Tokata had been mated for about seven months, you were born. Tokata was very happy. He loved being a parent. Things were going well, as they usually are before everything changed. Your father spoke at a rally for second and third class Saiyans. A fight broke out in the middle of his speech. It took many guards to break up the fight. By the time it was over, your father had a thorough disgust for the lower classes." Gratto took another sip of his drink.

"To make matters worse, your father spoke to the King, your grandfather, and found out some disturbing news. The King told him that he should not judge the lower classes so harshly for he was one of them. Your grandfather explained to him that he had mated a third class to have him. Your father went into a rage. He didn't want to believe him, but when your father inspected the family records, he found it to be true. Tokata later told me that your father was never the same person after that. He said that your father would look at the lower classes like they were worthless. Tokata said that when the King died and your father took the thrown, your father completely ignored the lower classes. He told my brother, "They can fend for themselves.""

"Tokata returned home not long after that and said he couldn't stand being around the new king. He said that he was not the man he had mated. He told me that he wanted to get away from him. I was worried that Tokata would do something foolish, and he did. Tokata snuck into your room one night in an attempt to take you away. He was caught. When your father asked him why he did it, Tokata told him that he wanted you to be raised away from the King's hate. Tokata told the King that he wanted his child to care about the world. He said he hoped you could live with us, at least until you were twenty. Your father called Tokata a traitor and had him executed for treason." Gratto sat still after finishing his tale, deep in thought. After minutes of silence, Gratto spoke again.

"After Tokata died, your father had his name and your father's bearer stripped from the records. He wanted no evidence of his third class bearer. Since all of the noble bloods who knew of his bearer were dead, he signed a declaration of silence for all the servants and decreed that noble families may not mate below the second class."

"That would account for the missing records." Vegeta's voice trailed off.

"I told you about Tokata. I can understand your interest in him, but I can't imagine you'd travel across the planet just to know that story. Is there something else you need to know?"

Vegeta hesitated. Gratto had already put himself in danger for revealing his brother's story, so Vegeta decided to tell Gratto the truth. "I am in love with a third class."

Gratto's shock was instant. "What?! Really? Prince Vegeta, are you sure?"

Vegeta sighed. "Yes, I'm quite sure. In spite of my situation in life, I have fallen in love with a man who just happens to be a third class."

"Is it serious?" Gratto questioned.

"Yes, I asked him to be my mate recently." Vegeta blushed slightly.

"Oh my… Prince Vegeta, I am glad that you have found someone that you love so strongly, but this is going to be very difficult. I mean. You would quite literally have to change the laws on mating for noble bloods to be with him. Is he worth that?"

"I have traveled away from the safety of my home while I'm in heat, putting myself and others at risk. Yes, he is worth it. Once I fell in love with him, he became worth all my efforts. I have to find a way to be with him, Gratto." Vegeta became very serious.

Gratto smiled at him for a moment. Remembering Vegeta's words, he spoke in a rushed manner. "Wait. You're in heat? How many days do you have left?" His eyes were filled with worry.

"Two. Oh Kami, what time is it? I have to be home before sundown."

Gratto looked out the window behind Vegeta. Vegeta followed his gaze. Both Saiyans realized the same thing. "It's too late." Gratto said.

"Oh, no…. What am I going to do? I can't fly back in time. Even if I did fly home, I don't want to attack anybody, especially not Kakarrot. I nearly took him last night." Vegeta buried his face in his hands.

"Don't worry, Prince Vegeta. You may stay here. I have Tokata's old room. I have maintained since he died."

"Do you have any restraints?" Vegeta looked up at his uncle, still unsure of staying.

"Yes, I still go into heat." He laughed.

Vegeta was still worried about staying, but did not want to injure himself or someone else tonight. He told Gratto that he would stay. With this, Gratto stood and showed Vegeta to Tokata's old room. Vegeta laid down on the bed while Gratto went to retrieve the restraints.

"Do not release me until morning." Vegeta commanded once he returned.

"Agreed." Gratto said as he tied Vegeta down to the bed. He told Vegeta that he would come back at sunrise. When Gratto left, Vegeta closed his eyes, preparing himself for another long night.

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To Be Continued.


	8. So Truth Fails

Lamb Without Blemish

"_Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. So truth fails, and he __who__ departs from evil makes himself a prey."_

_(Isaiah 59:14-15)_

Chapter Eight

Vegeta awoke to the sound of a metallic object clicking. Gratto was at his side, releasing the metal buckles from their job of restraining the Prince. "Did you sleep?" Gratto said after Vegeta sat up.

"Yes, thank you for allowing me to stay here." Vegeta rubbed his sore wrists and ankles.

"You know. If you mate this Saiyan, he will go into a powerful heat like what you are going through now."

"I know." Vegeta reluctantly admitted. "It is only natural. Once mated, one or both of the Saiyans go into a strong heat for procreation. That was the original purpose of mating. When the Saiyan race had a small population, people would mate for life. Mating only recently became a chosen course for Saiyans in love, and that is only for Saiyans who have the class to freely fall in love." Vegeta took a deep breath.

"When I fell in love with Kakarrot, my body mistook the heightened hormones for mating. I know from my visit with Kakarrot that his body has not reacted as strongly as mine has. Most likely, it is due to his age. Saiyans at my age are generally already mated."

Gratto smiled at his nephew. "Yes, Prince Vegeta. Most are mated by your age, but I am not, so I think I understand your feelings. My heats have gotten more torturous over the past five years or so." He laughed. "But, Prince Vegeta, may I give you something?"

"Yes, of course." Vegeta replied a bit surprised.

Gratto went over to a book case on the opposite side of the room. He returned with a small book. He held it out for Vegeta. Before Vegeta could ask, Gratto explained. "This journal belonged to Tokata. He kept it from the time just before he mated your father until the last time he came to visit me. I know he would want you to have it, especially now."

Vegeta gently grabbed the tattered book. "Thank you." He said.

"I have fixed breakfast. I know it won't compare to the things you get at the castle, but perhaps, you will humor your old uncle?" Gratto grinned.

After the meal ended and Vegeta and Gratto said their good-byes, Vegeta walked some distance in the forest beside Gratto's home by himself. He found a large tree. Resting his back against it, Vegeta flipped open the book to the first entry.

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Tokata's Journal

Day One

Gratto and I just got back from the castle. It was amazing. We got to the castle, wearing the nice clothes that our father bought especially for this visit. The castle is so beautiful. The ornate fixtures and elaborate portraits are so amazing. I wonder what it would be like to live there. I can hardly imagine the servants and guards addressing me as 'Master' or 'Sir.' It sounds silly, even to me. Anyways, I got to meet the Prince tonight. He looked so nervous at first. It made me feel better to know that I wasn't the only one nervous. Gratto did his best to calm me down when we went to meet the Prince. Thankfully, the Prince was very nice. He smiled at me when I looked up at him. I have to admit that it made my heart flutter. I've never felt like this. I wouldn't say that I am in love with the Prince. I would just say that I look forward to our next meeting. Oh, yes. I forgot to mention that he invited me to return to the castle in a few days. I am anxious, but excited.

Day Five

I didn't write yesterday because I spent most of the day with the Prince. By the time I got home, Gratto and Dad berated me with questions. I can understand their interest. The castle and the ruling family are mesmerizing. The Prince took me on a tour of the castle yesterday. I got to see all the rooms except the bedroom chambers. Prince Vegeta told me that he isn't allowed to let anyone in there unless they work for the castle or are mated to the person that sleeps in that particular room. The Prince told me that his father's mate died many years ago, not long after he was born due to some illness. I feel sad for the Prince in that way. He doesn't know what it is like to have a relationship with his bearer. I wonder what his relationship with his mate will be like. I think it is too much to hope that the Prince to choose me. I am from a noble family, but my friends come primarily from the lower classes. Other noble class families don't seem to be in touch with the real world. I want to change things in this world. I don't really know how I can right now. I wonder when I will be able to see the Prince again.

Day Seven

I got a letter from the Prince today. One of his servants was sent to bring it to me. I had to run to the woods to read the letter. Dad and Gratto were so excited. Gratto even tried to grab it from me. When I was able to read, I was overjoyed by its contents. The Prince invited me to lunch in his garden in about a week. He said that he wished he could see me sooner, but he and the King were very busy with meetings. I am very excited. I don't want to tell my brother yet, but I think I love the Prince. He is so kind when we are alone together. I think he is uncomfortable being gentle, so he acts tough around his father and the servants. I hope he softens up when I see him again.

Day Fourteen

He held my hand today. After the Prince and I had lunch in his beautiful garden, he and I walked around the trees. As we continued around the grove, he reached out and grabbed my hand. He didn't look at me when he did it, but his hand was very warm. I must admit that I was very nervous while holding his hand. I could barely pay attention to all the marvelous scenery. I concede to my feelings and say that I am very much in love with him. I'm just so surprised at how quickly it all happened. I wonder how he feels. I hope he feels the same as I do.

Day Twenty

It is in our race's nature to mate quickly, but I did not expect this. The Prince asked me to be his mate. I mean, Vegeta. He told me that he didn't want me calling him Prince when we were alone. I have to be presented at mate ceremony. I am worried. I am not versed in delicate manners. After so many years of being surrounded by my third class friends, I don't really know what noble etiquette is. Vegeta told me not to exert myself. He told me that his father was a kind person. I suppose worrying will only excite my nerves further. I wonder if I could bring Gratto. I would love to have my brother with me when I am presented as the Prince's mate. Of course, I will be the bearer, but this does not bother me. Ruling members are never the bearer for obvious reasons. They would be too easily targeted for attacks on their visits to other countries. Plus, there is the issue of pride. Ruling families have someone else bear their children, instead of doing it themselves. I may look into the history of this custom when I have access to the royal library. It is strange to think that soon I will be living in the palace. That's right. I will be sleeping in the same bed with Vegeta. I've never even kissed a person before. What will I do when I have to mate with Vegeta? Oh, no. I'm making myself nervous again…

|||:

Vegeta closed the book. He wondered how such a promising relationship could have been turned astray by a fight at a speech. Deciding that he would continue this tale later, Vegeta took off into the sky. He should head home. Luckily for the Prince, King Vegeta had been away from the planet on a business trip this past week. If he had been in, he would have surely noticed his son was in heat. Vegeta made all the servants and guards swear their secrecy regarding his condition.

By now, the King was probably already home or soon to be there. Vegeta wanted to show his face early, so he would avoid any suspicion. He needed to uncover more about his bearer before revealing his plans to mate a third class. In spite of everything Vegeta had learned in the past twenty four hours, he was steadfastly determined to have Kakarrot for a mate. 'I have to find a way.' Vegeta thought the entire flight home, not aware of the storm that was brewing between him and his father.

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To Be Continued.


	9. Do Not Curse The King

Lamb Without Blemish

"_Do not curse the king, even in your thought; do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; for a bird of the air may carry your voice, and a bird in flight may tell the matter."_

_(Ecclesiastes 10:20)_

Chapter Nine

Vegeta hurried to the dinning area. His father had requested his presence for breakfast. This was not unusual, considering that the King had been gone for a week, but Vegeta could not help but to be nervous. He knew that he had uncovered a tightly kept secret. If his father found out about his actions, Vegeta feared what would happen. Vegeta ran to the entrance of the dining area, adjusting himself before stepping into the room. When he felt sure of himself, he entered. "Good morning, Father." Vegeta called after he saw the King's face. "How was your trip?"

"It went well, Son. Have you been keeping busy in my absence?" The King motioned for Vegeta to take his seat.

"Yes, Father. I would say that I have. I've been reading a good deal."

"What have you been doing about this mate situation? Every day the mating ceremony draws closer. I do not want to have to turn over the title to another family, Vegeta. I hope you understand the seriousness of this situation." His father said the last sentence in a questioning tone.

"Yes, I understand it quite well. I have been trying to obtain a mate, Father. I know the importance of our lineage." Vegeta examined how true his words were, especially after all he had learned about his family history.

"Good. I'm glad to hear it. Now, when would you be planning to have your first child after you are mated? When I was mated, I wasted no time. I hope you will have the same attitude. It is one thing to find a mate by the allotted time, but you must also produce an heir before I die. I'm sure you could handle that, Son." His eyes again deemed the statement as a question.

Vegeta was momentarily saved by servants bringing in the food. Once they left, the King continued in the topic.

"Vegeta, you still haven't answered me. What are you intentions regarding the start of a family?"

Vegeta truly had not considered this himself. He did not know how to answer because it would be Kakarrot who would have to carry the child. He would have to tell his father something though. "I am not sure. I would like to have a son before the end of next year." This response seemed to work because the King fell silent on the subject and began to reminisce over the past week on another planet.

|||:

Vegeta returned to his room with a headache. He had never kept something of this magnitude from his father, and the pressure was a significant strain to bear at once. He sighed. Turning towards his closet, Vegeta dug out the object of his recent pains and his escapes. It was the journal his bearer had left before his death. Vegeta flipped the book open once again.

|||:

Day Twenty Six

The mating ceremony is going to be tomorrow. I feel so nervous. Vegeta has tried to reassure me that everything will be fine, but I cannot stop this growing fear within me. I need to remember what to do. Though, Vegeta told me about that too. He told me just to follow his lead, and I should be fine. Vegeta has always been honest with me. He is pretty direct also. I asked how his extended family would feel about me. Without a pause, he said, "They probably won't like you." I just blinked at him. He again told me not to worry. He said that his family was very biased about the people they liked and not to take offense to their attitudes. I will try to do as he said. I have never had people dislike me so severely before meeting me. It seems very odd to me. Why judge someone before laying eyes on them and speaking to them? Maybe I will never understand that. Vegeta seems to understand it. He was raised around those sorts of people. I hope I never have to see that side of him. It would kill me to see such a kind and honest person become deceptive or hateful. I don't think I will have to worry about that. Vegeta is unlike his relatives from my understanding. I need to sleep. All I can ask from myself is to do my best.

Day Twenty Seven

Vegeta and I are mates. My body is still sore. It was awkward being alone in his bedroom chamber last night. It was even stranger to see him naked. I blushed so deeply that I thought my face would be stained a permanent red. He tried to calm me down, but I must admit I was nervous throughout the whole experience. It hurt quite a bit. He had paused to wait for me to adjust. For that, I am very grateful. Otherwise, I'm sure I would be in much more pain this morning. My mate mark on my neck is still fresh, just barely scabbed over. I got the urge to leave my mark on him while we were being intimate, but he did not let me. After we had finished, he explained that future kings were not supposed to take the mate mark. In royal couplings, only the bearer should take the mark. He apologized for not telling me sooner. It did hurt my feelings slightly that he could not take my mark, but he will be the king someday. I would not want to hinder him in anyway.

Day Forty

I believe I am pregnant. Vegeta said he would send for a doctor to check on me. It feels so rushed. I mean. I just met Vegeta, mated him, and I could be carrying his child. I am going to lie down. I'm feeling suddenly very tired.

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Vegeta heard a knock at his door. He hurried to hide the book in its secret place and went to answer the door. Vegeta found his servant behind the door. "Sir, the King has asked me to help you into this." The servant held out an unusual outfit. "He got it on his trip." The servant smiled. Vegeta complied and allowed the man into his room.

As the man helped him dress, Vegeta wondered what Kakarrot might think about having a personal servant. The man that served him had been with him since he was very young. Vegeta never trusted any other person to help dress him or to see him undressed. He nearly laughed at the thought of Kakarrot with a servant undressing him. He paused and was curious if he or Kakarrot would become jealous over such things, yet these thoughts seemed useless at the time. Vegeta was still uncertain about his fate with Kakarrot and his role as the future leader of the planet.

After Vegeta was dressed, the servant told him about the King's desire to see him in the outfit. Vegeta followed his servant to his father's personal study. When he arrived in his father's large study, he found the King sorting through some papers on his desk. The King took notice of his son.

"Ah, that looks great, Prince Vegeta. You could almost pass for a local on that planet." The King's deep laugh echoed through the big room.

"Thank you, Father. I appreciate your gift." Vegeta bowed.

"It is nothing, my Son. You will be king before too long. You should become accustomed to other cultures." He smiled. "Your mate should become used to it as well."

Vegeta felt more uneasy. He wanted some assurance about Kakarrot, so he asked. "Father, must I mate someone from the noble class?"

"No, not necessarily. You may choose a mate from the second class if you wish."

"What about the third class?" Vegeta said shakily.

"No, that is forbidden, but why would you even want to? The third class Saiyans are such barbarians. They are wild. They could never be trusted to be a bearer of a future king."

"What if they could be?" Vegeta said. His voice rose slightly.

"Why do you ask such questions, Vegeta? Surely, you have not fallen for a third class." His father said it more as a joke, rather than believing that there was any truth to the statement.

Vegeta could not bring himself to be so blatantly dishonest with his father. He stood silently, hoping that his father would drop the subject. The King was about to ask his son about the topic again, but a servant entered with the King's tea. He decided to let it go for now. 'There is no way Vegeta could love a third class. Fate cannot be that cruel to me.' The King mused before excusing his son from his studying, telling him that he had some papers to go over. The Prince left the room. King Vegeta began to feel a creeping fear in the back of his mind. He pushed the thoughts aside and focused on his work.

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Vegeta went back to his room, removed the foreign clothes as quickly as possible without ripping the fabric, and put on his commoner's disguise. He had the sudden urge to see Kakarrot. He did not know if he needed the reassurance or if it was due to the time of day, as late afternoon was just drawing in. He did not care though. He had to see Kakarrot now.

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Vegeta landed in Kakarrot's backyard. He saw Raditz first. The man had his back turned to Vegeta. He took this opportunity to compose himself before walking up to greet him. When he had adjusted his angered face, Vegeta walked forward, but before he could call out to the Saiyan, Raditz fired a ki blast at him. "Gotcha, Kaka!" He yelled.

Vegeta deflected it with only a few burnt fibers on his coat's sleeves. He stared mortified at the long haired man.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Veggan. I was sparring with Kakarrot. He was hiding. I thought you were him. Nice block." He smiled at Vegeta.

"It's alright." Vegeta was able to say. "Where is Kakarrot? I wanted to speak to him."

Raditz turned and yelled for his brother. "Kakarrot, Veggan is here to see you. Come out. The fight is over." Upon those words, Kakarrot jumped out from his hiding spot with a large grin on his face.

"Vege… I mean, Veggan! I can't believe you're here." He ran across the field until he stood just before Vegeta. The breeze created by his run stirred Kakarrot's scent to Vegeta's nose. Vegeta did not have much longer with this heat, but he did not know if he could handle this. Kakarrot stood in front of him in a thin shirt. Sweat beaded on his forehead and his arms. Vegeta wanted to taste that skin.

When Vegeta had hope of making his relationship with Kakarrot work, he had more control. Now, he felt his control pushed aside for his growing need. He grabbed Kakarrot's hand. "Come, Kakarrot. I need to talk to you alone." Kakarrot had not been able to utter a reply or a parting message to his brother, for Vegeta took off quickly into the sky with Kakarrot as his prisoner.

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To Be Continued.


	10. No One But You

Lamb Without Blemish

"_If you will redeem __it,__ redeem __it;__ but if you will not redeem __it, then__ tell me, that I may know; for __there is__ no one but you to redeem __it."_

_(Ruth 4:4)_

Chapter Ten

Kakarrot did not know what to think when Vegeta grabbed his arm and took him off to some secluded forest. He felt a strange aura coming from Vegeta. He had felt it once before around him but could not remember when. Vegeta had released his hand as soon as they landed. Now, Vegeta stood with his back to Kakarrot. Kakarrot hated that their time together would be filled with silence. He decided to speak. "Vegeta, I'm glad you came. Though, I'm very surprised that you came back before the time. Your heat would be over by tomorrow, right?" He smiled at Vegeta's back, awaiting a response.

"Yes, it should be over soon." Vegeta turned his head to throw a backward glance at Kakarrot as he spoke the eerie words. Kakarrot was slightly taken aback by the red eyes he saw.

'The heat is controlling him.' Kakarrot thought, not sure of what he should do. He did not want to agitate Vegeta's excitement any further, so he stood still. He knew that Vegeta was physically stronger than him. He could take Kakarrot if he wanted to. Kakarrot refused to allow himself to be scared of the man that was to be his future mate. "Vegeta, I know you are in heat, but it will be okay. We have to wait, remember?" He smiled nervously.

Vegeta's eyes showed no intention of waiting. He advanced and voiced his thoughts. "What is the point of waiting, Kakarrot?" Vegeta yelled. "They will never accept us a couple, not as a prince and a third class. The day will never come. I am tired of pushing aside my desires for this crown. Screw it all. I don't care. I'm sick of it – the rules, the structure, and politeness. It is all fake. I have the real thing with you, Kakarrot. I will not settle for less than that."

"With politics, with this crown, I can never be my true self. I have never been my true self until I met you. That is when I could not push down my feelings anymore. For the first time, I felt something so completely that no manner of wishing and urging could will away my desires. My desire is to have you as my mate, Kakarrot. Do you still want to mate with me? I will not force you. I will only ever touch you if that is what you want."

Kakarrot blushed. He had only known Vegeta for a short time, but knew that he loved him. He truly did, yet this felt too rushed. He had thought last night that Vegeta would be able to find a way for the two of them to mate. Kakarrot had even thought about what the mating ceremony might be like.

The event was six months down the road, giving Kakarrot plenty of time to adjust to the physical aspects of his relationship with Vegeta. To be asked so suddenly if he wanted to mate Vegeta here and now, Kakarrot could not think of what to say. He only felt something, and it was an extreme nervousness that comes with inexperience. Seeing the impatience written on Vegeta's face, Kakarrot opened his mouth to speak, but only soft, inaudible noises came out.

Vegeta advanced towards Kakarrot. Placing a hand gently against Kakarrot's cheek, his eyes faded back to their dark hue. "Kakarrot, I told you. I will never force you. I will go away right now if you wish it."

Kakarrot grabbed Vegeta's extended hand and lightly squeezed it. "I still want to be your mate. But Vegeta, there must be something more we can do about becoming mates the right way." He smiled.

"I love you, Kakarrot." Vegeta let his hand trail down Kakarrot's neck, stopping on the crook where his shoulder met his neck. Vegeta instinctively licked his lips. He envisioned his lips on Kakarrot's neck, biting the skin, tasting his blood. Vegeta looked up at Kakarrot, eyes slightly red, glazed over with intent. "I cannot wait, Kakarrot."

Kakarrot felt himself pushed down against the ground. Vegeta was very gentle, but with every touch Vegeta's body declared to Kakarrot that he was not going to be denied. "Vegeta." Kakarrot could only mumble his lover's name as Vegeta's lips kissed his neck.

His fingers intertwined with Vegeta's chestnut locks. Kakarrot unknowingly let a moan escape his mouth while Vegeta's tongue swirled over his future mate spot. When Vegeta's teeth nipped at Kakarrot's virgin skin, Kakarrot groaned. "Vegeta, I want you too, but we have to wait." He panted.

Vegeta's hand moved to clutch Kakarrot's growing bulge over his pants. "I don't think this wants to wait." He smirked down at Kakarrot.

"Vegeta, that…" Kakarrot could not finish his statement before Vegeta's lips pressed against his. Vegeta's tongue demanded entrance into Kakarrot's mouth. Kakarrot parted his lips, allowing Vegeta to swirl their tongues together. Kakarrot already felt like he was getting swept away, but this made things worse.

With every new sensation, the younger Saiyan fell further into the ecstasy of the moment. He only came back to reality when his lungs cried out for air. Vegeta must have had the same urge, for he drew back from Kakarrot with a flushed face.

"I will take care of you, Kakarrot. If I must forfeit the crown, we can find a house near your family or near my uncle. We can make this work, Kakarrot."

"I know we could," Kakarrot paused, "if that is what it came down to, but Vegeta, I know you want to be king. No matter what you say, I know your desire to change this world. I believe you could do that most completely as king. I love you too, Vegeta. But, I don't want you to give up your title for my sake, not when you don't necessarily have to. Have you spoken to your father about us yet? Do you know for certain that there is no hope?"

Vegeta ground his fists into the soil. "I have spoken to my bearer's brother. He told me about how my father mercilessly killed him. I got my bearer's journal. I have only read a few pages. So far, the book details a happy relationship. I know from my uncle that something drastic happened to turn them against each other. Kakarrot, I don't want to end up like my father. I don't want to hurt you. I never want to hate you.

My bearer, Tokata, was certain that my father would never hate him, but it happened. I cannot let myself become that kind of person. How can I pursue the crown when all the noble family members are the same as my father? Will I become that way too?" Vegeta looked up at Kakarrot, awaiting his response.

Kakarrot was shocked. Vegeta was afraid of becoming evil. Vegeta was afraid of hurting him. Kakarrot reached forward. Cupping Vegeta's slender face in his large hands, Kakarrot whispered his reply. "If you have already realized this, then you will not become like your father." A warm smile lit up Kakarrot's face.

Vegeta pushed his face to Kakarrot's, so their lips could meet. The kiss the couple exchanged was not a desire ridden kiss, but a gentle one. When Vegeta drew back from his friend and his future mate, he could not help but smile. "Thank you, Kakarrot."

Kakarrot pulled Vegeta to him to lay the smaller man against his chest. Kakarrot soothingly rubbed Vegeta's back and murmured words of encouragement. "We will make it work, Vegeta. It will be okay."

Time passed by slowly while Vegeta laid against Kakarrot's chest surrounded by a hidden wood. Both men drew in the warmth of the other man's body. Vegeta felt more relaxed than he realized, for within thirty minutes, he fell asleep atop the larger man, who followed his lover's example and drifted off to sleep as well.

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Vegeta awoke to the sounds of the midnight forest. He saw a few rays of moonlight cascading through the trees above. He heard a stir beneath him and looked down to find Kakarrot's bright eyes peering up at him. "How are you feeling, Vegeta?" Kakarrot's arms were still wrapped around Vegeta's back. As he spoke, Kakarrot lightly squeezed Vegeta's body against his, savoring the warmth a minute longer before he released Vegeta, so that both Saiyans could stretch.

"I'm fine, Kakarrot. I hope your family will not be worried. We did not give your brother a reason for your absence." He smiled after standing.

"It will be okay. I'm not ten or something like that." Kakarrot paused, slightly embarrassed. "Vegeta, is this what it will be like when we are mated? I mean. Will we sleep like this sometimes?" His blush was nearly invisible in the dark.

"I hope so." Vegeta smiled, thinking about his future with Kakarrot. "Now, let's get you home. I'm sure your family is worried. I need to show my face at the castle before too much longer to avoid suspicion."

Kakarrot took Vegeta's hand and nodded. Following Vegeta's lead, Kakarrot flew into the sky headed towards his home and anxiously awaiting brother and father.

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Vegeta found himself in his bedroom the next morning. He had not slept most of the night. His heat still ravaged his mind. The overwhelming scent of Kakarrot on his clothes and skin made him demand the servants prepare a bath when he arrived home late.

To answer their questioning gazes, Vegeta told the servants that he had been sparring all night in the woods and had dirt in his hair. They seemed to respect his answer, for they left him alone once he was in the bath. Vegeta even sent away his personal servant after apologizing for the late hour and told him that he could prepare his bed and clothes for the night.

His mind had also been engaged with the not-so-distant future dealings with his father regarding his situation with Kakarrot. He really did not know what to do on that front. He decided that he would read more of his bearer's book now that his mind was not overtaken by lustrous feelings.

He gathered up the book and flipped to the last entry he read and began on the next one.

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Day One Hundred Twenty Nine

I have been pregnant for about three months now. Most of the early morning sickness has passed. I can even feel the baby moving around within me. The doctor told me that bearers carry their young for about seven months, but it was not unusual to have the child at six and a half months. If that is true, I only have about three or four more months until I get to see my child. I'm sure the baby will look like Vegeta. The royal blood line has very dominant genes. I may be of noble blood, but my brother and I look very different. He got darker features, while I have lighter hair and eyes. Vegeta's hair is a deep brown. I hope that our son will look like both of us, but maybe it is too much to hope for. Either way, I know I will love this child. I already do. I guess that it is only natural to wish that child would look like your mate, the person you love. I'm very excited about the future life with Vegeta and our son, who I am sure will also be named Vegeta, after his father and grandfather. Vegeta is calling for me. I must go.

Day One Hundred Seventy

I feel my time to give birth draws closer. Vegeta has ordered that the doctor remain at my side until the child is born. My stomach has gotten much larger in the past few weeks. I find myself nervously pacing, reorganizing things that the servants have already attended to. Vegeta told me to try and relax. It has become a very difficult task for me. I am going to check on my son's room once more.

Day Two Hundred

Vegeta, my son, is about three weeks old now. After I gave birth, I became very sick. The doctor said that I lost a significant amount of blood. I was very weak initially. I could not even hold Vegeta without assistance until Vegeta was a few days old. It was so difficult to watch my brother, father, and some of noble family members hold my son before I could. I do not hate them or even dislike my family, but the noble family has always been rude to me. I cannot help but feel a small swell of anger form within as they pass my son from person to person with no regard for how badly they are making me feel. Their presence made me feel worse. I asked the servants to send them away after I could not take it any longer. Maybe it is the hormones, but they really bothered me. I will go and attend to my son now. I can finally walk on my own again.

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Vegeta was puzzled by this entry. He did not know much about Saiyan births, and the new information regarding the health of the bearer made him worry. He feared for Kakarrot's safety already because of his class status, but he currently felt a pervading sense of dread. He could not bear the thought of losing his mate.

Vegeta had felt like there was nothing more frightening than dealing with his father regarding this mate situation, yet he now recanted his previous declarations. Losing Kakarrot or his son would be the worst thing that could ever befall him. He would have to find the strength to stand up to his father, if he were ever going to take care of Kakarrot. He would have to do his best to keep Kakarrot safe and to provide for him and his son.

Vegeta closed the book and hid it. His brows knit in utter frustration. He found himself in a far worse predicament than before, and he did not know what his next step would be.

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To Be Continued.


	11. Wrath Of A King

Lamb Without Blemish

"_The wrath of a king __is__ like the roaring of a lion; __whoever__ provokes him to anger sins __against__ his own life."_

_(Proverbs 20:2)_

Chapter Eleven

Day 236

My son is two months old now. He is crawling. The doctor said that he is doing well. I'm very glad for that. Unfortunately, King Vegeta has fallen ill. I don't know how much longer he will make it. The King is taking it very well. He is very rarely upset. If he is saddened, it is because of another's plight. On another note, Prince Vegeta was invited to a rally for the lower classes. He declined at first, but the King insisted that he go. King Vegeta is a very kind man. I know he wants Vegeta to know as much about this world as he does. I hope it goes well. I'm sure things would get better for the third class Saiyans if it did.

Day 240

My mate, Vegeta, got back from the rally last night. He seemed very upset. I got a servant to take care of our son, so I could see what was troubling him. He told me that there had been a fight at the rally. A third class ended up accidentally hitting him. Vegeta said he got terribly angry then. He said before he realized it, he had knocked down three third class Saiyans. The guards had to keep him from killing the man who hit him. I'm very worried.

Day 268

My son continues to grow and so does Vegeta's anger. At first, I understood why he was upset. No one before the rally had ever hit him. I would feel bad for my mate, but he is very strong. I feel worse for the third class who hit him. I have no problem with the lower classes, but Vegeta seems to now. Everyone in the castle wants the social relations on this planet to improve. Though, there is a growing number of nobles who are coming to hate the lower classes. They heard of what happened to the Prince. I'm afraid of what might happen if the nobles come to despise the third class Saiyans. The class lines are not so strictly divided as it stands now, but if a noble were determined enough, I'm sure they could be. I hope that Vegeta will let go of his anger. Anger can destroy even the strongest man.

Day 273

I fear the worst thing has happened. After persistently questioning Vegeta about his continual absence over the past month, he reluctantly told me that he had been meeting with a noble family on the eastern side of the planet. He said they killed the third class Saiyan that struck him. I pleaded with him to tell me that he was lying and that he had not killed another man. He not only didn't deny it. He seemed proud of killing the third class man. I can't write anymore. I feel sick.

Day 291

I tracked down the third class man's family. His name was Karva. He left behind a mate and two young children. I talked and wept with his mate for what seemed like an eternity. I had to lie to Vegeta and the servants, telling them that I went to visit my brother. After I apologized more times than I can remember to Karva's family, I promised them that I would make restitution to them. I left Karva's house to see my brother. I must have looked wild, for my brother had the strangest facial expression when he saw my face. I could not contain myself. I have given myself to Vegeta, my heart and body. I don't know what to do now. Where is the guide that could tell me how to live with a murderer as a mate? I have a child with him. There is no separation for the mate of future kings. There is only death. It feels like a piece of me has died. I worry for my future with Vegeta, for the planet's future, and for my own future with my son. What will this anger take down with it?

Day 300

This is my last entry. I have stolen my son away with me. I am in my hometown, making preparations to live on my own. I am in the process of securing a home and a job. I will leave from Vegeta's sight and never come back. I will entrust this journal to my brother in the hopes that one day it may end up in the hands of my son. I have no delusions about my mate anymore. When I came home from visiting my brother, we fought. I told him about visiting Karva's family. He went mad. He hit me. I made up my mind right then. I had to run away from him. My son cannot be brought up in that environment. The King is on his deathbed. Once he is dead, there will be no one to stop Vegeta from destroying all third class Saiyans. I've got to hide while I can. I have no delusions that I can run forever. I'm sure I will be found out soon enough. After I am gone, I can only pray that my son turns out to be a good and righteous man. I pray that with all of the heart I have left.

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A fresh set of tears streamed down Vegeta's already wet face. 'How could Father do this? How can someone be killed over something so minuscule?' Vegeta bent his neck to bury his aching head in his arms. The forest roared in preparation for a heavy rain that was ready to rip from the sky at any time. Vegeta felt that the forest was hurting along with him.

After crying for several more minutes, the sky opened. The cool raindrops trickled down Vegeta's flame like hair and continued downward to soak his coat and back. Vegeta stood.

Tucking the now sacred journal in his coat pocket, Vegeta flew into the sky. The rain stung his face, but Vegeta felt completely numb. He began to cry again. He was not only mourning the loss of his bearer, but he also let tears fall with the rain for a faceless man named Karva as he flew to Kakarrot's house.

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Kakarrot was shocked to find Vegeta at his front door. Vegeta had not come around for a few days. Kakarrot thought that Vegeta was just being careful because of his heat, but there had to be more to the story. Vegeta stood on the other side of Kakarrot's front door completely soaked, looking very pale.

After receiving Vegeta into his home, Kakarrot carefully helped Vegeta into some dry clothes and took him to his bed to rest. Vegeta fell asleep with Kakarrot soothingly massaging his scalp.

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Vegeta awoke to sound of Kakarrot's voice off in the distance. He reflexively rubbed his sore forehead. After pulling himself from underneath the sheets, Vegeta stood shakily. He walked to the door and listened. He guessed that Kakarrot was in the kitchen, so he quietly opened the door and proceeded down the hall.

Vegeta found Kakarrot in the kitchen with his father. Bardock noticed his presence first. Kakarrot noticed his father's gaze and turned his head to smile at Vegeta.

"I'm glad you're up, Veggan. How are you feeling?" He stood and walked towards Vegeta.

"I'm alright." The burning in his throat surprised Vegeta. He persisted despite the pain. "How long have I been asleep?"

"It has been about fourteen hours. You got here last night. Do you remember that?" Kakarrot looked at his friend with genuine concern.

"Yes, I remember coming here and getting changed. Then, I laid down on your bed. From then on, I do not remember anything. I don't think I even dreamed." Vegeta rubbed his temples.

"Yeah, you showed up soaked. I got you some dry clothes and put you to bed. I slept on the floor. You seemed feverish. I didn't want my body heat to make you worse. Oh, yeah." Kakarrot moved forward and placed his hand on Vegeta's forehead. "I think your temperature is about normal."

"Good. I'm sorry about all this, but I should be going." Vegeta took a step back towards Kakarrot's room, where he suspected his clothes might be, only to lose his balance. Kakarrot caught him before he fell.

"I don't think it would be wise to fly away right now, Prince Vegeta." Kakarrot and Vegeta blinked several times, attempting to assure themselves that they had heard Bardock correctly. The two younger Saiyans could only stare back at Bardock, for they had forgotten how speak.

"Yes, I know who he is." Bardock said answering their stares. "Remember - I wash the clothes around here. His outfit had the royal seal on it. Only two people on this planet could have that mark legally. King Vegeta would be my age, but Prince Vegeta should be in his mid-twenties. Plus, the hair is a dead give away. I wasn't sure of it when Kakarrot brought you in last night because your hair was matted, but I am now."

Kakarrot and Vegeta's eyes fixed on Vegeta's prominent hair. The upright hair was flatter than usual, but no one could deny its unique shape. Vegeta cursed himself mentally for such a thoughtless slip. After a few moments of silence and much mental counsel on Vegeta's part to assure himself that Bardock could be trusted, Vegeta opened his mouth to speak.

"If you knew that," Vegeta started, "why not turn me out where I stand? My father hates third classes. Even if I defended your family and said that you helped me, he still may not spare you. Would you take that chance on me?"

"I wouldn't have for Prince Vegeta, but for Veggan, the man my son loves, I would." Bardock smiled at Kakarrot. "Vegeta, you should stay until you are well. Kakarrot, take good care of him."

Bardock retreated to the kitchen and returned with a large plate piled up high with food. "Kakarrot and Raditz have already eaten, but I was able to save some food for you." Bardock set the food down on the table and left the younger Saiyans alone.

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About thirty minutes later and after Vegeta had eaten all the food, Kakarrot turned to his future mate, intent on knowing what had caused Vegeta to come to him last night. "Vegeta, what happened?"

Vegeta wiped his mouth again and exhaled deeply. "I went home and tried to find a way for us to be together legally, but I couldn't find anything. I searched our library and databases around the planet for days. I poured over thousands of pages of history, trying to find a loophole somewhere."

Vegeta continued. "I couldn't sleep at night. I couldn't eat. I went to the forest, the one I took you to the other day, and read the end of my bearer's journal. My bearer was murdered for standing up for a third class Saiyan. My father killed a third class for accidentally hitting him."

"Are you sure? I mean. Could it be an exaggeration?" Kakarrot grabbed Vegeta's hand.

"I had hoped for that too, but it is true. I went to see the family of the man my father murdered. His eldest son is a few years older than I am. He confirmed my bearer's story. He told me that his bearer died after his father's murder." Vegeta sighed.

"I will not repeat my father's mistakes." Vegeta squeezed Kakarrot's hand. "Kakarrot, I have decided on something."

"What is it?"

"I will forfeit the crown once we have mated."

"What are you saying, Vegeta? You can't give up the crown." Kakarrot jumped to his feet.

"I will, Kakarrot. I don't have to be a prince or a king to make a difference in this world or in any other. I only have to stay true to my beliefs, and I believe that the royal families have been defiled. The kingship has been tainted. There is no reason for me to cling to a dirty title. I will rebuild this world's leadership, even if that means I must fight against my own father."

Kakarrot grabbed Vegeta's shoulders and nearly yelled at him. "What do you mean? Are you saying that you will confront your father?"

Vegeta pushed Kakarrot's arms off his shoulders lightly as he stood. Crossing his arms, Vegeta declared. "We will mate, Kakarrot. Then, we will change the world."

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To Be Continued.


	12. Fleeting Fantasy

**Attention Readers: I appreciate your support and reviews. Thanks again. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Lamb Without Blemish

"_Getting treasures by a lying tongue __is __the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death."_

_(Proverbs 21:6)_

Chapter Twelve

Vegeta tore down the stairs. He had already bathed, cleansing any lasting traces of Kakarrot's scent from his skin and was now ready to confront his father. Vegeta paused on the stairs, remembering his last conversation with his future mate.

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"We will mate, Kakarrot. Then, we will change the world."

"Vegeta, are you sure you know what you are doing? You would have to give up your home, everything you know."

"They are just things, my friend. Starting something new with the only Saiyan that I can be my true self with is very exciting. I think we should mate, let you finish your heat cycle, and start working towards are goal. We could have our own private mating ceremony." Vegeta smiled at Kakarrot.

Kakarrot thought for a moment before his face lit up. "We should invite your uncle. Of course, Dad and Raditz would be there."

"Yes, of course. Maybe we could even have the ceremony here. It would need to be very private. Oh, I would need to secure a home first. We've got to have a place to go to that night." Vegeta winked mischievously.

Kakarrot blushed lightly. To distract the younger Saiyan, Vegeta crushed his lips against Kakarrot's. After enjoying a short, yet passionate kiss, Vegeta pulled back with smirk. "I'm glad we agreed to my plan." Vegeta began walking towards the door. "I will start working on my end of the plan. I'll leave the mating ceremony and all the details up to you. I will return in a few days."

"Vegeta, wait!" Kakarrot yelled into the empty air.

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Vegeta nearly laughed at the memory of Kakarrot's voice, but held his mouth with his hand, bringing his mind back to the present. He could not detract from his mission. This would be the most challenging event in his life. Everything else in his life had made sense, had been planned out for him, but the impending conversation with his father contradicted what he had been told his whole life, which was to respect and obey his father. In spite of that, Vegeta could not steer away from his course. He had chosen this fate with his eyes open, fully aware of the price for his happy life with Kakarrot. He risked his relationship with his father and would have to give up his title as Prince.

The weight of his decision chose to fall upon him then. Before that moment, he had gone off the high of his future joy. Now, reality crashed in and did not let up. Vegeta gripped the wall and closed his eyes. After a few intense moments, Vegeta regained his resolve. "I have to do this." He said. Vegeta forced his steps onward, pushing down his fears for the moment.

He landed at the bottom of the stairs and made his way to the dinning area, but stopped when he saw a servant. After inquiring about his father's whereabouts, Vegeta commanded his legs in the direction of his father's study. Standing in front of the door for a moment, Vegeta had to convince himself of his own strength once more. He exhaled deeply and placed his hand on the door knob. 'It's time.' He thought before turning the knob and entering the study.

|||:

"It's me, Father." Vegeta announced when he cleared the doorway into his father's room.

"I'm glad you are here. We should begin planning your mating ceremony. I need to give our distant family members ample time to plan. They tend to make excuses and miss royal events when given invitations any less than three months in advance."

"About that," Vegeta began, "I've decided who I want to mate."

"Excellent." King Vegeta smiled. "Now, the kingship won't entailed away."

"The Saiyan I want to mate is a third class." Vegeta paused, seeing his father's face contort from happiness to rage in a second. "He is good man, Father. I can't mate anyone from the noble class. They trade sex slaves and are vile." Vegeta's voice rose as he saw his father open his mouth. "I've already asked him to be my mate."

"So, that is how you think this works? You can just go around shaming our family because you have something against a few members of the noble class. Third classes are the ones who are vile. If you knew what I knew about them, you would never think about mating one of them."

"What do I not know?" Vegeta nearly yelled. "I heard that the only reason that you hate third classes was because you were hit by one when you attended a rally many years ago."

"Who told you that?"

"I went to the cities and asked Saiyans about it." Vegeta crossed his arms over his chest. He did not want to reveal his relationship with Gratto, fearing his uncle's safety.

"You don't know the whole story then. Very few Saiyans know what really happened. Not even your bearer knew that."

"What do you mean? There is another reason for why you hate the third classes?" Vegeta's eyes went wide. He had been so upset about his father's actions that he never considered there to be another side to the story.

"Of course, Son. Do you think me that irrational? I was raised to respect all Saiyans. My own bearer was a third class. I loved him, but I could not love what him after what happened to me."

"I'm sorry, Father. I let my feelings control me. Please tell me what happened."

King Vegeta shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "I don't know if you'd understand, Son. I tried so hard to protect you when you were young. I never wanted the same thing to happen to you."

"Father, I must know. I will never understand your feelings unless I know what created them."

King Vegeta sighed. "Alright, Prince Vegeta, I will tell you, but I warn you. This will probably change your view on third classes."

Vegeta nodded and King Vegeta began his tale.

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"My father was not as protective of me as I have been of you. I was allowed to visit the nearby cities when I was a child. I would run there everyday and play in the park with the other children. One day, I went to the park and none of the kids would play with me. They told me that they weren't allowed to play with noble bloods. I felt terrible. Up to that point, I had never been discriminated against."

"I was just about to leave the park when an older Saiyan approached me. His name was Rallen, and he was very friendly to me. He apologized for the other kids and said that he wanted to be my friend. Rallen told me that he was a third class and didn't know any noble bloods and was very honored to be my friend. I loved the attention this older Saiyan gave to me. I brought Metga, one of my cousins, to meet him. The three of us were friends from then on."

"I looked up to Rallen. We were together often. Over time, I fell in love Rallen. Rallen and I even kissed a few times. I was very happy."

"When I was going through my first heat, Rallen agreed to take me to one of Metga's family homes. The house was secluded. Metga had ordered all the servants away for my privacy. My heat was nearly uncontrollably. Rallen said he would help me, so he strapped me down to the bed that night. I trusted him, so I fell asleep quickly."

"In the middle of the night, I woke up to find Rallen on top of me. He told me that we were alone and no one would stop him. I started to scream, but Rallen covered my mouth and smiled at me. He told me to scream if I wanted, but no one would hear me. He was right."

"Rallen raped me that night. In the morning, he fed me and gave me some water, but would not untie me. I tried to blast at the restraints on my feet, but I missed. Rallen hit me in my temple, and I passed out."

"When I woke up, I found Rallen and several third classes standing around the bed. They were laughing and placing bets about who could make me scream the loudest. Then, they took turns raping me."

"For the next week, Rallen and the other third class Saiyans raped me continuously. After my heat cycle was up, Rallen released me. He told me that he did not care if I told anyone about what had happened and smirked at me. I tried to hit Rallen then, but I was so anemic that I missed. Rallen hit me in the face. I passed out."

"When I woke up, Metga was there. He said that he had come to check on me. I broke down and told Metga everything. He took me back to his castle and nursed me back to health. While I was healing, Metga explained to me how disgusting the third classes were. He said Rallen betrayed our trust, the trust between all third classes and nobles. He swore to me that we would track down Rallen and the other Saiyans who hurt me. He said the third classes should pay for their crimes. In exchange for his assistance, I promised him that I would tell no one else about the abuse. He said that the news would shame the royal family."

"I returned home and kept the secret. A few weeks later, I found out that I was pregnant. I was scared. Noble bloods weren't supposed to be bearers. I didn't want to shame my family or ruin our lineage by mating with a third class, so I made up my mind to kill the child." King Vegeta paused, seeing his son's horrified expression. He rubbed his eyes for a moment before continuing.

"I told my father that I was going to visit some friends and went to see Metga. I told Metga that I needed some time to myself before we hunted down my attackers and left to carry out my plan. I didn't want anyone in my family to know."

"I flew to a deserted part of the planet. After I landed and set up my bandages, I took my place. I made a powerful ki blast and aimed it at my stomach. I turned my head as I let the ball of energy go. Everything went black then."

"When I awoke, I had a gapping hole in my lower abdomen. I knew that I had to be seen by doctor before I died. I bandaged my stomach as best I could before flying to the nearest town. It took me a long time to get there because I kept losing consciousness due to the blood loss. I made it to the outskirts of the town before passing out again."

"When I woke up, I was in a small hospital. My stomach had been repaired, but I was very sick. The doctor told me that a passerby had found me and brought me in. He said that I was very lucky to be alive, but unfortunately, the baby could not be saved. The next day, I developed an infection from exposure to the elements while trying to get to the town. I ran a terrible fever and went into a coma."

"The next time I opened my eyes, I found an oxygen mask on my face. The doctor came in later and was surprised to find me awake. He informed that I had been out for nearly a week. After that, I continued to get better. I stayed in the hospital for a few more days before being released."

"I had a lot of time to think about the child that I had killed. I vowed while I lay in the bed that if I survived, I would never let a third class touch me, I would become king, and I would separate the noble bloods from the perversion of the lower classes."

"I returned to the castle and regained somewhat of a normal life. Metga and I set out to hunt down all the Saiyans who attacked me. Metga found Rallen before I did and killed him for me. We killed the others together."

"Afterwards, Metga and I began spreading rumors about the third classes Saiyans, saying that they were murders and rapists. Other noble families heard of it and pushed for segregation. My father would not allow it though. I planned to choose a mate as soon as possible and succeed my father."

"I mated your bearer, and he gave birth to you. When you were still very young, my father insisted that I attend a social rally for lower classes. Not wanting him to uncover my hatred of the third classes Saiyans before I was king, I went to the rally, insisting on plenty of security."

"The third classes disgusted me. They all wanted to shake my hand. I had my guards keep them away from me. I did my best with my speech and tried not to look at the third classes."

"Midway through the rally, a fight broke out between a few second classes and several third class Saiyans. A second class Saiyan was thrown on stage. That's when things got out of control. Third class Saiyans jumped on stage and ran for the second class. My guards try to intervene, but one of the third classes broke free from the guards and went wild. He knocked out a couple of the guards. I moved to pick up one of my men, and he punched me in his fury."

"I lost it after that. I was not going to be hit by some piece of trash third class. I hit him back. He fell to the ground. His friends came to defend him. I knocked them back and pounced on the third class who hit me. My guards were able to restrain me before I killed him right there on the stage."

"When I returned home, I told your bearer about the rally. He tried to comfort me, but there was no use. My father found out what happened and told me that I should not hate third classes because my bearer was one of them. I was enraged. I had lost my innocence to a pack of third class Saiyans and devoted my life to separation of classes only to find out that I was half third class." King Vegeta's face read of pure disgust.

"I felt humiliated all over again. I felt the shame of having third class blood running through my royal veins. Metga visited me then. He was outraged by what had taken place. He said that the third classes were getting out of control, and we had to take action. Metga and I decided to hunt down the third class who hit me. We found the third class and killed him."

"Not long afterwards, your bearer questioned me about killing the third class. I admitted the truth. Your bearer was depressed. He moved out of our room and refused to let me touch him. I later found out that he had visited the family of the Saiyan I killed. In my anger, I hit him. He ran from me and locked himself in his room."

"When I went to find him the next morning, I found his room empty and you were missing. I was scared. I did not know what he would do with you, but I had a guess as to where he had taken you. I went to get Metga and explained what happened. He and I left immediately to go to your bearer's brother's home."

"I found your bearer alone with you. He said that he would not return to the castle. He said that he would not let 'his son' be raised around such anger. I showed him true anger then. I struck him down and took you away from him. Metga restrained your bearer. We agreed that your bearer could not live after what he had done. Metga said he would take him back to his castle and kill him there."

"My father wondered where your bearer had gone. He was on his deathbed by this point, so I told him the truth. He broke down crying and said that I had broken his heart. My father died the next day." King Vegeta paused, rubbing his eyes once more.

"I became king then. I made laws to segregate the lower classes to certain cities. After I set the laws in place, I focused on keeping you safe, so you would never have to see the horrors of the third classes like I did, but I guess I haven't been watching you close enough. You say that you are going to mate a third class. Can you still do that? Do you still love the third classes after hearing about what they have done to me?" King Vegeta stood and advanced toward his son. "Well?" He questioned with anger in his voice.

Vegeta stood still. He searched his mind for a moment before answering his father. "I don't know what to think, Father. It is terrible – what happened to you, but the events in your life do not condemn all third classes. Your rage has blinded you to the truth." He continued. "I love the third class that I have chosen to be my mate. He has never hurt anyone. He is a good man. I have already made up my mind, Father. I will mate this Saiyan without your permission. I will forfeit the crown and live my life with my mate."

King Vegeta's mouth hung open. Vegeta had no more to say to his father, so he took the opportunity to leave, not wanting to hear anymore negative comments about the third classes.

Although he could empathize with his father, Vegeta had already agreed that he would not be deterred from mating Kakarrot. He walked towards the door and grabbed the knob. Before he could turn it, Vegeta felt his father's hand grip his shoulder.

"Son, I'm sorry, but you aren't going anywhere."

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To Be Continued.


	13. Through His Cunning

Lamb Without Blemish

"_Through his cunning, he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule, and he shall exalt __himself__ in his heart."_

_(Daniel 8:25)_

Chapter Thirteen

"Vegeta…" Kakarrot's inhaled sharply as Vegeta nuzzled against his neck, licking Kakarrot's future mate spot.

"Yes?" Vegeta's hot breath sent chills down Kakarrot's spine when it hit the glistening skin.

"We should stop." Kakarrot gently pushed on Vegeta's shoulders.

"I don't want to." Vegeta ran his hands down Kakarrot's chest and waist, savoring the feeling of tight muscle lying just beneath the thin shirt. "No, Kakarrot. I want you now." Vegeta pulled his hands back and took his shirt off before moving to rid Kakarrot's of his. Once the restriction of clothing was gone, Vegeta attacked Kakarrot's nipple, licking and sucking while massaging and pinching the other nipple with his fingers. Kakarrot's head went back and a low moan left his lips. The glorious sound Kakarrot was setting Vegeta's skin on fire. He went wild with desire, taking on the next nipple with the same vigor.

Midway through his attentions to Kakarrot's chest, Vegeta trailed a finger down Kakarrot's chest, past his firm abs, and finally resting at Kakarrot's bulging crotch. While rubbing Kakarrot through his pants, Vegeta breathed into his lover's chest. "You're over-dressed, my friend."

Vegeta knelled before Kakarrot as he slowly pulled off the younger Saiyan's pants. He licked his lips when the pants came past Kakarrot's crotch and Kakarrot's member popped out to stand at attention. After the pants were off and on the floor, Vegeta stared at Kakarrot for a few moments, thinking that he had never seen anything more beautiful before crawling on all fours toward his prize, ready to take Kakarrot in his mouth. Kakarrot jerked slightly when Vegeta's warm breath hit his sensitive skin. "It's alright." Vegeta stroked the inside of Kakarrot's thigh as he moved in.

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Vegeta strained to open his eyes. A blinding light cut through a narrow opening of thick curtains, sending a sliver of sunlight to cast open his face. 'A dream?' He thought. Vegeta rolled his head to one side and found the movement more difficult than usual. He rubbed a hand against his eyes, trying to ease the burning from the light. "Where am I?" The words barely left his aching throat.

"Prince Vegeta, I'm surprised. I heard you were very intelligent." A dry laugh followed the words.

Vegeta pushed up to rest on his shoulders, a low groan escaping his lips. The pain in his head worsened from the shift. He searched the room for the voice, finding a shadowed figure on the far side of the room. "Who are you?" His voice came out a bit stronger this time.

"Prince Vegeta, I know that the drug was very potent, but I figured you would have some recollection of what happened." The man took a few steps forward, allowing the light to illuminate his face and smirking when recognition flooded Vegeta's face.

"Metga."

"Yes, my young cousin. Your father has turned you over to me. He told me some disturbing information about you. He said." Metga paused to laugh again. "You were involved with a third class and that you wanted to mate him. He was disappointed and angry." Metga advanced. "You hurt him in a way I never could." The smile left his face, leaving a cold glare in its place.

"What are you talking about?" Vegeta sat up. While moving his hands to rest in his lap, Vegeta noticed something odd. Metga's smile returned as he watched Vegeta struggle to remove the foreign object.

"Those wristbands are remarkable – a little gift from Frieza." Metga said, pointing at Vegeta's wrists. "When he studied Saiyans and other powerful beings, he found a way to repress significant levels of ki in order to make individuals quite literally powerless. It took me many years to track down the creature that made them for him. I had to persuade the creature to make some for me." Metga smirked again. "Ki blasts tend to be very persuasive."

"I don't understand. Why would my father turn me over to you? Do you intend to hold me prisoner?" Vegeta moved to stand on weak legs and nearly fell, but steadied himself before taking a step towards his cousin.

"Your father trusts me, if you can believe that. Every time something terrible happened to him, I was there right when it happened. He thinks that we are best friends." Metga advanced to stand a foot in front of Vegeta.

"What?" Vegeta blinked. He tried to wrap his mind around Metga's twisted words, not able to see the meaning behind them. "What is going on here, Metga? You aren't telling me something." He said.

"Finally, one of the Vegeta's sees through this façade." Metga grabbed Vegeta's chin. "I'll tell you the truth, Vegeta, because you won't ever leave this room."

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"I grew up knowing that I was a noble blood, but I would never be able to rule. When I was about five years old, I was introduced to your father. He was a very kind and trusting. I hated him immediately. He would never have to work for the kingship. It was already his. I made up my mind then. I would destroy your father and take the thrown for myself." Metga said, dropping his hand from Vegeta's chin to stroll to a nearby chair before sitting down.

"A few years later," he continued, "I came up with a plan. I needed an accomplice though, so I went to a city near Vegeta's home and happened upon a third class Saiyan that hated the royal family as much as I did." Metga chuckled loudly. "His name was Rallen."

Vegeta stared at Metga with horror written over every inch of his body.

"Yes, Vegeta. I set it all up. Rallen threatened the other children to make sure they left your father alone at the park, so he could make his entrance. I also coordinated your father's torture. I made sure Rallen destroyed every ounce of innocence he had." Metga's lip curled up into crooked smile.

"You evil bastard!" Vegeta jumped forward, his fist connecting with Metga's face with a crack.

"You don't understand, Vegeta. You are powerless against me." Metga brushed off Vegeta's hand. With lightning speed, he retaliated, throwing a punch into Vegeta's gut. Vegeta stumbled back, gasping for air. "Now, as I was saying," Metga returned to his tale. "Rallen and his friends raped your father during his first heat. I showed up afterwards to play the concerned friend. Your father believed me and poured his heart out to me. He was so pathetic."

Vegeta growled at the words, but did not move to hit Metga again.

"I told your father that third classes were vile – that they could not be trusted. He and I agreed to hunt down the third class Saiyans together. I had to get to Rallen first, of course. The look on Rallen's face when I told him that I no longer needed him was nearly worth the whole effort." Metga laughed a sinister laugh that would make Frieze seem like a saint.

"I told your father I killed Rallen. We killed the others together and then set out to destroy the third class image. You see. I needed to have a common enemy with your father. Nothing eats at a man quite like hate. I understand that principle very well." Metga pointed a finger at himself. "I also despise the third classes. I figured I could get your father to do my dirty work. That way when I became king, I wouldn't have to deal with any third classes."

Metga stood up and paced near Vegeta. "But, your father is a persistent thing. He pushed down his despair and chose a mate. Then, you came along. I thought your father might have been completely rehabilitated, but that is when fate provided me with a wondrous opportunity."

"There was to be a rally about the lower classes. Your father was supposed to attend, so I went back to that wrecked city, recruited a few third class Saiyans for the job, and the rest took care of itself. Your father was so enraged after the rally. I didn't have to persuade him at all to kill the third class who hit him." Metga held his mouth in an attempt to control his laughter.

"Your bearer ran off on him not long afterwards. We tracked him down." Metga said between laughs. "Your father gave him to me, just as he turned you over to me." Vegeta opened his mouth to speak, but Metga interrupted him. "I killed your bearer in this room, using restraints like those, but not before having some fun with him."

"Are you saying that my father gave me to you to have me killed?" Vegeta yelled.

"No, he only wanted me to speak with you – knock some sense into you." Metga made a fist with one hand and hit the palm of his other hand with the fist.

"But, you created a great opportunity for me, Vegeta. I was going to wait for the mating ceremony and have your mate killed by a third class, but I don't have to go through the trouble anymore because your future mate is a third class." He chuckled. "All I have to do know is kill you and say this third class did it. In your father's anguish, I can convince him to let me rule for him, temporarily, of course. Over time, I will enslave your father and take the crown for myself. Without you around to stand in my way, I can easily take over the kingdom."

"That plan won't work. Other nobles won't let it."

"Who do you think has been supporting me all these years, Vegeta?"

"Are you saying that members of the royal family have been helping you hurt my father?"

"Don't act surprised. The royal bloods are so easily bribed. Most of them just want sex slaves or money. Both are fairly easy to obtain."

"You are sick. I won't let you do this, not to me, not to my father, or my future mate."

"What do you intend to do? You are powerless to stop me, Prince Vegeta." Metga paused, the crooked smile returning to his face. "Before day's end, you will be dead."

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"Coming!" Kakarrot yelled down the hall to the pounding at the front door. He tried to catch his breath before opening the door. Once open, Kakarrot blinked at the Saiyan before him, unaware of who he was. "Hello." He said. "Can I help you?"

"I hope so. Are you Kakarrot?" Kakarrot nodded slightly. The Saiyan continued. "I'm Gratto, Vegeta's uncle. He told that he was going to speak with his father about wanting to mate you. He said that if he did not come and find me by this morning that something had gone wrong. Now, I fear the worst has happened."

"What do you mean?" Kakarrot's face turned from shock to horror in an instant.

"Have you heard how his bearer died?" Kakarrot nodded again. "Well, I believe that history will repeat itself, unless we do something."

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To Be Continued.


	14. As Strong As Death

Lamb Without Blemish

"_Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love __is__as__ strong as death. Jealousy __as__ cruel as the grave; its flames __are__ flames of fire, a most vehement flame."_

_(Song of Solomon 8:6)_

Chapter Fourteen

Vegeta tasted an all too familiar metallic flavor slide past his parted, dry lips and into the corner of his mouth. He forced his tired arms to lift his head out of the blood pooling underneath him. Once in a stable position, with an arm supporting his body, Vegeta felt for the gash he knew was there. He found the seeping hole just above his left ear. Some of his hair was already caked with dried blood from previous assaults. Checking the rest of his head for other wounds, Vegeta found several bald patches, seared and aching skin replacing the once thick mane of hair.

Metga had been at him for a few hours before retreating, saying that he needed to eat before he could hit him again. Vegeta had blacked out at a couple points, but remained on his feet as much as possible. Vegeta decided that if he was going to get beat mercilessly, he would at least go down with his pride. His father had taught him that with hours of training, but Vegeta feared that he could no longer stand. He looked at the mangled thing he knew was a leg. Massive purple bruises hid a broken bone. Earlier, Metga took out the leg with a swift kick, hissing at Vegeta for being so resistant.

Even with his body broken and bleeding, Vegeta would not relinquish his pride. 'A Saiyan is nothing without his pride.' He thought, unable to verbalize his thoughts due to a hard punch Metga had planted squarely on his jaw. Vegeta remained hunched next to his pool of blood, not willing to give up, but not finding a way out either, wondering what would come next. He wondered how long Metga would draw on this punishment. He wondered if his father would come for him.

Vegeta had spoken to Gratto before having the dreaded conversation with his father. Doubting his own safety, Vegeta confided in his uncle his plans and his worries. His uncle had been advised to seek out his friend and future mate, Kakarrot, if he did not contact him within the day. That time had come, and Vegeta wondered if Gratto would be good on his word and find Kakarrot. 'Maybe they are already on their way here?'

Vegeta let the hope swell up for a moment before reality crept back to the forefront of his mind. 'Kakarrot and Gratto wouldn't even know where to begin. I doubt they would have time to find me before my body was already cold.' Vegeta paused, considering something else.

'Plus, there is no way for me to know how strong Metga is with these restraints.' Vegeta glanced down at the bloody cuffs on his wrists. 'Kakarrot may not be able to beat him. Then, Kakarrot and Gratto would die too.' The thought hit him like a rock being thrown across a smooth lake. The ripples of emotion sped through his body in waves, finally crashing upon the banks of his heart. 'Kakarrot can't die. It just can't happen.'

Vegeta groaned loudly. Tears spilt from his eyes for the first time that day. He regretted his relationship with Kakarrot. He had put Kakarrot at risk from the beginning and finally understood the impact he had on his friend's life. Vegeta hated himself for taking someone else down with him.

He had been pathetic from the beginning, hoping – no, believing that he would find a way for Kakarrot and him to be together. Kakarrot had believed him too. Vegeta had to punish himself in the only way he could right now. He pulled back a fisted hand and struck the wall with all the force he could muster. The cracking of bone and following pain numbed Vegeta to the internal aching he felt, allowing him a moment of regret filled sleep.

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The chilling wind stung Kakarrot's wet eyes. Kakarrot cleared his blurry vision with a quick swipe of his hand. He knew that Gratto could not see his watery eyes because Kakarrot flew in front of the older Saiyan, but he cleaned his face anyway.

Kakarrot sighed quietly. He had been crying since Gratto explained Vegeta's situation. The two Saiyans had already flown by the castle and discretely checked Vegeta's room, finding it empty and absent of any clues. Kakarrot body ached from stress and the cold. The day was uncharacteristically cool for the season. Kakarrot shook his head softly, trying to clear out the detrimental thoughts before they could take hold in his heart. He never experienced true love before meeting Vegeta, and he did not want to understand the heartbreak that would accompany the loss of his best friend. Kakarrot heard a voice and withdrew from his fearful hideaway in his mind to listen.

"We should check a village where King Vegeta's cousin lives. When Tokata was killed, I was allowed to collect his body there." Gratto called.

"Alright, I will follow you then." Kakarrot slowed his speed to allow for Gratto to take the lead.

The two men flew towards a village in the distance, unaware that Vegeta's time was coming to a close.

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"Come on, Vegeta! I thought you'd last longer!" Metga laughed loudly. He bent down to lift Vegeta off the ground by the remaining strands of hair, causing Vegeta to wince in pain. It had been an hour since Metga returned from his meal, and it seemed that he was tiring of punishing Vegeta.

Vegeta cracked open his remaining eye. The other one had been scorched not long after Metga returned, along with his left ear. Vegeta wanted to hold on, keep fighting no matter what, but he had lost too much blood. He strained against his body's urges and held his eye open.

He had thrown up again since Metga came back. Now, his throat was burning. Every inch of his skin ached. Vegeta felt like he had been set on fire. Vegeta tried to force his voice from his lungs, but little noise came out beyond a tiny whisper.

"What was that, Vegeta? I was hoping you'd beg for your life if I tortured you enough." Metga dropped Vegeta to the ground. The action received another cry of pain from Vegeta's cracked and bloody lips.

"I… I am not begging you for anything." He chocked out.

"I know. The proud Prince Vegeta wouldn't beg. You've been taught not to. I wonder if that third class will beg." Metga held his chin, contemplating some future plan and smiled. "Maybe he will beg me to spare his family." Metga laughed again.

"You won't touch him." Vegeta raised his voice as much as possible.

Metga kicked Vegeta hard, sending him flying into the nearest wall. "I don't need a third class lover to tell me what to do."

"Kakarrot is stronger than you know." Vegeta's hope for Kakarrot had grown since he awoke from his self-inflicted wound. He had to believe in his friend. Vegeta knew he was going to die, and he decided that he had to die with hope.

"I doubt it." Metga walked over to where Vegeta lay and began kicking him again.

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Gratto and Kakarrot landed in the woods behind a large castle. Gratto indicated that he had collected Tokata's body near there. Gratto searched the forest floor for any recent signs of activity. Kakarrot walked away from where Gratto searched and went to the edge of the tree line and gazed up at the multiple windows lining the stones walls. All the windows were covered with thick curtains.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kakarrot noticed movement in one window and turned his head to find the right one. He noticed the curtain was parted slightly in a high window and saw red drops sprinkle the glass. Kakarrot reacted instantly. He flew towards the window without thinking and punched through the stained glass.

Kakarrot landed on top of a mix of glass and blood. He checked his hand, finding it only scrapped, not injured enough for the massive collection of blood at his feet. That is when Kakarrot saw Vegeta. His instincts told him it was Vegeta, but his mind could hardly believe it.

Vegeta's mangled body lay crumpled against the wall beneath the window, unmoving. Kakarrot ran to his side and checked for a pulse. Finding none, he bent his head to Vegeta's still lips to listen for breathing, but heard nothing. "Vegeta? Vegeta?!" Kakarrot screamed.

"Too late, third class. Just got done killing him." A man strolled to stand in front of Kakarrot.

Kakarrot gently moved away from Vegeta's limp body and stood across from the man who murdered his lover. "Who are you? Are you Vegeta's cousin?" Kakarrot yelled.

"Yes, I am. I'm Metga." Metga paused, smiling as the anger spread over Kakarrot's quivering body. "What do you intend to do, third class? Would you like me to kill you too?" A growl was Metga's only reply. "As you wish, you clown." Metga jumped at Kakarrot with his fist cocked.

In that instant, a force rose from Kakarrot's core, causing waves of energy to radiate from his body. The energy sent Metga flying back across the room. Metga hit the wall and looked up, bewildered at what he saw.

Kakarrot's body surged and began to glow a bright orange. His hair flashed back and forth between black and blonde. With a mighty roar, Kakarrot's hair stayed blonde and his eyes turned green.

"What is this?" Metga cried, fearful for the first time in his life.

"Your end."

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Kakarrot cradled Vegeta's body in his arms. He had not remembered much about the fight with Metga. What he did remember was Gratto pulling him off of Metga before he blasted the Saiyan's dead body. Now, Kakarrot was in his backyard, holding the body of his deceased mate. He had been crying since he returned to normal in that bloody room. Gratto had hurried Kakarrot out of the castle with Vegeta in his arms, so they would not have to fight any of Metga's guards. Kakarrot was so lost in his thoughts that he jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Son, I think we should make preparations to bury him." Bardock removed his hand when he noticed his son's hard face. "You should bathe. You are covered in blood."

"I don't care. There is no point any more. I don't want to live without him." Kakarrot buried his face in Vegeta's cold neck.

"Kakarrot, I know your pain, but you have to keep on living." Gratto said.

"Why do I have to live? There's no reason for me to be alive now." Kakarrot sobbed.

"Yes, there is. I have an idea on how to get Vegeta back."

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The End.


	15. The Shadow Of Death

Lamb Without Blemish

"_A land as dark as darkness __itself,__ as the shadow of death, without any order, __where__ even the light __is__ like darkness."_

_(Job 10:22)_

Epilogue

Kakarrot had made sure to clean Vegeta's body himself, carefully scrubbing the bloody skin. Vegeta looked beautiful, lying frozen in the coffin Bardock had made.

Gratto gave the eulogy. Kakarrot could not bring himself to speak. His voice was choked out all day from tears on the verge of erupting.

After the funeral, Kakarrot retreated to his room and finished packing his bag. He sat on his bed when he was done. He heard footsteps come down the hallway and found Gratto in the doorway. "Are you ready to go?" The older Saiyan had aged in the past two days since Vegeta's death.

"Yes, we should go now." Kakarrot grabbed his bag and followed Gratto down the hallway.

"Are you guys ready?" Gratto called to Bardock and Raditz as they shuffled with bags in the kitchen.

"Yes, let's go." Bardock spoke. "Where are we going exactly?"

"Namek. I've heard they have something there that can restore life." Gratto answered.

Bardock and Gratto started discussing traveling plans while Kakarrot stole away to the backyard. He knelt before Vegeta's grave, whispering quiets words to his lover. Standing, Kakarrot declared loudly. "I will bring you back, Vegeta. We will be together again."

With that, Kakarrot left the yard, and with his father, brother, and Gratto, he left the planet in search of a planet called Namek.

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The End.

A/N: I killed Veggie. I'm sorry. I planned for this, so I hope you guys won't turn on me. There will be a sequel: Broken In Pieces. Lamb Without Blemish focused mainly on Vegeta. Broken In Pieces will be about Kakarrot: his feelings following Vegeta's death, his thoughts about turning Super Saiyan, and his emotions after killing Metga. Some familiar characters will make an appearance. I hope you will follow me to the sequel. Thanks for reading!


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